The Blade & the Bloom
by NMR68
Summary: An ancient prophecy leaves Ron and KP facing some hard truths.Shego finds herself in a real sitch while some new faces and old stories come to light. Swords, guns, sex, violence and naked skydiving.What more do you want?Rated a solid M. COMPLETE
1. New CH 1

**The Blade and the Bloom**

**_Summary:_** This story takes place 3 years after the graduation of one Kimberly Anne Possible and Ronald Dean Stoppable from High School.

Ron has finally come into his own with his powers and KP is not adjusting well. It also goes slightly AU in that Kim never actually found out about what Mt Yamanouchi was about until now.

Many characters and locations to explore with this particular tangent, If you see an interesting direction for the story to take I would love to hear it. I will do my very best to reply to every remark sent. Please review!

_NOTE: Character's personal thoughts are detailed as italics._

**_Disclaimer:_** Of course I don't own Kim possible or even a small share in any of the stuff I may mention in this story. I call dibs on any cool characters I do come up with though!

**Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan**

The wizened old man sat cross legged on the floor of the shrine. Before him was a katana blade resting in its dark cherry wood mount.

The blade would seem to be merely functional. No ornamental frills, just a perfectly razor sharp blade, hilt and flawlessly but simply wrapped handle. One would not suspect its origins or how old it truly was.

The man knew. Known only as "Sensei" by the students here at Mt Yamanouchi, he was there when the blade was forged in the depths of this very mountain…over 2000 years ago. Through that time this blade had been part of many a young warrior's destiny. Seemingly sentient in its ability to choose whom would be blessed with its calling it had proven the decisive factor in many a critical battle over the centuries.

Through it all "Master Sensei" as the most recent chosen warrior had come to call him; had trained and evaluated these young men and occasionally women who sought or were called by the blade. However none had proven worthy of the blade's full potential. Without fail the blade had served a key role in guiding the warriors on their rightful path and had then returned here to its resting place to wait the next generation or longer until the Lotus Blade's true destiny would unfold.

A familiar tingle went up Sensei's spine, followed by a slight breeze that brought in the smell of cherry blossoms and lilac from the courtyards outside. He opened his eyes from his meditation only to confirm what he knew he would see.

A faint glow had begun to radiate around the blade. As he had done so often before he stood and approached the blade with a flicker of hope in his heart. It seemed all the key components were in place to bring the prophecy to fruition. The boy had all the promise, he had a fierce ally in his red headed companion and Sensei even thought that he himself may have found the student to fill his shoes (or sandals as it were).

If only the 2nd sign arises. He reached not for the blade as one may expect but for the stone pedestal its stand resided on. There inlaid into the very granite was the emblem of the Lotus flower. Made of pure silver and with amazing craftsmanship the tip of each flower petal was graced with a gem reflecting each of the primary colors.

Sensei held his hand over the emblem and concentrated. He was soon rewarded with each of the gems glowing and a drawer glided gracefully out of the stone itself; carefully presenting the true destiny of the Lotus Blade.

Resting in its century's long slumber on a bed of white satin was perhaps the most beautiful samurai sword ever created.

Where the Lotus Blade was a testimonial to function and lethal warrior practicality...

The Lotus Bloom was the very embodiment of martial splendor.

From the tip of its perfect katana blade through its functional yet sculpted flower hilt inlaid in platinum and other unknown sturdy metals and culminating in its magnificently wrapped handle; the blade seemed too perfect for any mere mortal to wield. But this is not what he was interested in, he had but one question and looked to the single jewel at the center of the elegantly crafted flowered hilt to find his answer.

At first glance you would assume it to be a diamond of flawless clarity; and it had held that clarity since it was placed there all that time ago. But according to the prophecy, when the next person to wield the Lotus Blade was becoming ready to take his place and accept his destiny, the Lotus Blade would begin to radiate a color reflecting his spirit.

This had happened many times and had reflected every color variant possible of the gems in the emblem in the stone. However when the true Master of the Blade approached this point, this "diamond' in its companion blade would turn to reflect the color of his soul mate's spirit.

This would also herald the era when the venerable old man would pass on his knowledge to his replacement and finally embrace a well deserved respite into his next life.

So it is no little wonder that he was taken aback when finally after all these years of repeating this little inspection that he was taken back when the jewel began to glow. First a brilliant white glow that seemed to falter a bit and finally resolve into a faint glimmer of a perfect emerald.

Yori had been holding her standard vigil while her "father" as she liked to think of him performed his meditations in the shrine. It had been her honor to guard outside the door for him like this for the last two years whenever he felt it necessary to perform these rather long introspections at the shrine.

Her heightened senses went on alert when she heard the gasp of air. At first she went into a combative stance thinking someone was assaulting from outside, since she had never heard so much of a whisper from Sensei before. Once she scanned she heard it again from inside and went to investigate. As she entered respectfully and addressed him she noticed he held his hand over the emblem of the Lotus in the stone and could have sworn she thought it was glowing slightly as did the blade it self for a moment.

She blinked her eyes forcefully and when she opened them again all was normal as Sensei turned and addressed her. "Ron will be arriving soon, and we have much to prepare for him, his guest and for you…"

**Seattle, WA**

**The VERY Top of the Space Needle**

"Uh, KP if I didn't know any better I would swear you were thinking about doing something I would NOT be happy about!"

"No Big, Ron I just grab this knucklehead by the collar jump off the edge, hook him to the grapple hook and use my glide chute to sail down to the convention center below"

"But KP, look to your left…"

_This is so like her; make a plan, execute and leave me in the dark. _Ron thought as he watched his best friend/girl friend leap out at the latest mad man bent on world domination.

Today's "Freak of the Week" as he had come to think of them was a disgruntled medical research technician who had been working in a local lab until recently. It seemed his bosses were none too pleased that he had taken their research on mind wave mapping to the next level and delved into actual mind control. After his prompt firing he decided he would conduct an "experiment" to prove his theories on the Pacific Northwest as a whole by amplifying his signal with the unique capabilities of the Space Needle.

And that's how we come to find our two hero's in a rather one sided debate concerning how to handle this "sitch". It wasn't that he doubted her ability to handle this creep or the several hundred foot drop, especially with her skills and the recently upgraded "glide" feature Wade had installed on their battle suits. It was simply she never asked his thoughts before acting, as if he could not have possibly come up with any valuable input on the mission.

_For a partner I am seemingly more and more of a sidekick again._ After he had returned from Yamanouchi last summer he had finally confided in Kim about his regular training visits to the Ninja school and what his "Magical Monkey Powers" actually entailed….

She had listened rather thoughtfully, and asked him to demonstrate what he meant by "far more graceful than I have let on in the past". Since they were at the park for his "big talk" with her he stood up looked around to ensure no one could see and seemed to fall into a kind of relaxed state…and began to glow a faint blue!

Needless to say this alarmed Kim a bit, but before she could do anything he sprung from his spot with a double back flip into a nearby tree where he swung from there to a billboard where he simply bounced up to the top of a flag pole where he perched him self gracefully as a bird stopping for a rest.

After seeing the stunned look on her face he simply stepped off the pole face first, hooking his legs around the pole and slid head first to the ground where he bound over to a speechless Kim Possible.

The look on her face startled him and he wondered if he had just made a big mistake as he began to explain.

That was almost 8 months ago and you would have thought with his increased usefulness to Team Possible and ability to step up and offer more than a "distraction" in missions she would value him as much more of the "partner" that she claimed him to be.

This did not seem to be the case as she leapt off the edge of the futuristic looking building with a rather surprised ex-scientist in tow, leaving Ron to simply contact Global Justice to come and start clean up of a mission completed.

He brought the GJ vehicle that he snagged around to pick up Kim as the media mob began to die down.

"Reporter Vultures! Save the world and all they want to know is what's your secret diet to stay fit and who you are screwing- don't they realize they were 5 minutes away from being zombie slaves to that freak!" Kim was in rare form as she dove into the car and they sped off to an air field near Sea-Tac International for a discreet pick up.

"Should have told them it's Naco diet at Beuno Nacho. Would help with the royalty checks to fund some of these last minute trips". heckled Ron.

"I told you I would pay you back when I get a chance!" replied Kim with a bit more force than she intended.

"I am not interested in the money and you know that-Hello trying to make a joke!?!" he retorted.

"Sorry I guess I am a little amped after that one- the glide wings in this suit have a little more speed than I was expecting-I almost wore a Starbuck's Coffee cart as a hat on landing"

"No big- they have plenty of them; besides I always liked you in green"

"All right smart ass, what was all that about up there with you anyways? I thought you understood I make the calls on the missions, how come you doubted my plan?"

"I didn't doubt your plan or your abilities-it's just I may have had a suggestion or alternate plan that might have made life a little easier than wearing an umbrella as an evening gown on landing!"

"Such as…"

"Such as the idiot had left the damn extension cord to his device strung right by our feet. I could have unplugged the whole contraption and we would have been able to hand cuff him and use the frickin' elevator instead of a winch system to get the bad guy off the roof.."

"Oh…"

"I swear between your adrenalin fixes and hard headed need to be in charge I am surprised we've lasted 3 days much less three years as a couple".

"WHAT! Where did that come from? We're both safe, we got the bad guy, and if we hurry we might get home in time to finish that trip to the cabin we had planned this weekend".

"Yes I am happy your safe, but don't try to change the subject to our travel plans, WE didn't do anything up there that was the total KP show plain and simple."

_Whoah-he never has unloaded like that before; I wonder where this is coming from? Did he want to talk to the media this time? No he hates reporters. Maybe the tension we have had as a couple is finally bleeding over to the missions. I guess I do need to spend a little more time with him and focus a bit on "us". He'll get over this._

While Kim worked this through her head Ron pulled the vehicle up to an awaiting Leer Jet with GJ marked plainly on the side near a hangar at the end of a small air strip. She got out and grabbed her gear and noticed the car was still running and Ron hadn't moved.

She walked around to the driver side window which was open. She was almost expecting to see him crying and wanting to talk through this and was stunned when she saw him with an almost calm smile and punching something up on his version of the Kimmunicator.

"Come on Ron we can talk this out on the plane ride home"

"No Can do KP, I think I need to spend some time where people actually listen to what I have to say"

"Listen I know I may have been rash up there and haven't been the best girlfriend lately with school, missions and stuff. But come on we always pulled through this sort of thing before"

"No Kim I have always simply let you set the terms and rolled with what you said. Even after I proved I could be a bigger part of this team. I know that may be slightly scary for you that goofy old Ron might have something more to offer than a distraction and a laugh when his pants fall down. Frankly I am wondering when you will ever look at me as the man in your life or will I always be your boy-friend."

Stunned once again by this stern, assertive fusillade Kim reached in and wrapped a hand around his neck.

"No Kim don't try and smooch this away"  
"I'm not. I am looking for the micro ship or whatever is making you act like this."

"And there is my answer" As he sped off away from her, Kim Possible had the sinking feeling that something huge was going on and she was just outside the loop.

She pulled out her Kimmunicator and Wade's friendly teenage face asked;

"Good job on the Needle gig…uh, what's wrong?" She hadn't realized a sole tear had started to trail down her cheek.

"Oh something with Ron, I don't know. Do you still have the chip in his neck?"

"Yeah, but you know I don't like to use it…he deserves some privacy!"  
"Just track him Wade" She snapped and added "Something is just _off_ about him".

"Oh did he finally tell you to get off your high horse?" Smirked the boy, he seemed to be growing up faster than she realized? Her startled look must have showed because he continued

"Listen this isn't a new thing Kim, I figured being his girlfriend you would have noticed. He mentioned to me a while back that he felt left out of the picture and not much of a partner as you said he'd be. Do you know that he is trained in more martial arts than even you? I had his dojo wired for security; the guy can do more with a staff and blade than Chuck Norris with an arsenal!"

"He never said anything to me…" and then she remembered the park and how she was really taken aback by his "display" as she had come to think of it. Maybe it showed more on her face than she realized because his first words when he came off the flag pole were…

"I know that seemed a little weird, but I am the same Ron, just a little _improved_ if you will"

"What do you mean improved?"

"Well it turns out that Mystical Monkey power I got zapped with wasn't the source of my abilities. It seems they were within me all the time; it just unlocked them a little earlier than planned. Master Sensei, he's the head school master at Mt Yamanouchi said that I am not the first to wield these powers but he felt there was something unique in the manner I employ them. Something about a pure heart in a reluctant warrior, I don't pretend to understand all of his cryptic sayings but either way that is what I have been doing for the last several summers and why I seem a little different; like no more pants falling down-heh, heh" He nervously added the laughs to ease her out of a disturbing silence she had fallen into.

"So you are a Ninja? You MY Ron, have become a Ninja with magical powers that no one else on Earth can posses?"

"Well I guess that's the cliff notes version"

"Hhhhmmmmm"

"THAT'S all you can say-Hmmmm?" He really did not like the way she was looking at him as if she had never seen him before.  
"Well what do you want? I am trying to let it all sink in"

"KP, don't sweat it, if it's easier forget I mentioned it" He wanted to make this easier on her as she obviously was not taking the news well.

"No, I um well I think this is great, you obviously have been improving yourself, and while I don't like that you were keeping this from me I can understand that this Sensei guy is someone you respect and did not want to betray his trust. So why tell me now?"

"Well I wanted to be able to stop holding back on missions and be a bigger part of Team Possible. I have learned so much and can help more than you realize"

"Well let's just let me adjust to the new Super Ninja Ron, before we talk about any big changes."

But the talk never came; she noticed his new confidence and capabilities and was happy to have a stronger person to watch her back but in a deep corner of her brain she was not happy with the shift of power that represented in their relationship.

It was gradual of course as only these things can be. A small remark here, an abrupt statement or gesture there and eventually they began to loose that synergy that they used to have.

She couldn't predict his moves ahead of time because, hell he never HAD moves before and now he had all sorts of new stuff to bring to the table.

Consequently she took a more heavy handed approach to laying out THE PLAN for each mission and he started to chafe under the tighter reigns. Still he loved her and would do just about anything for her, but he steadily found him self bristling at her attitude and things that used to roll off his back.

And that is how Kim Possible the girl who can do anything found herself watching the fading tail lights of a car on a brisk evening.

_How did this happen?_ She honestly thought to her self. Her pride simple not letting herself look at the obvious; that her best friend since Pre-K may have just walked out of her life.

He didn't know where he was going. He had only decided at the last moment to leave his girlfriend and what felt more and more his whole life behind him.

He wasn't doing all that well in school anyways and frankly something started running through his head more and more when his Ronnicator had beeped while Kim was outside of the car. He had received an e-mail from Yori passing along a message from Master Sensei:

"Fate and destiny are linked only by the man willing to ask the true question". Damn I hate his cryptic crap! What does he mean -question?

But he knew; and as Kim wrapped her arm suspecting him to be micro chipped or something for having told her how he really felt…he knew his answer as well.

As much as it pained him to admit the question and answer were simple. _Who am I? & I don't know anymore._

"Well let's let fate take the wheel and see where this takes me…"

**Same time frame**

**Dr. Drakken's Recent Layer in the Northern Rockies.**

He wasn't sure if it was the green plasma ball that just narrowly missed his head or the look in her eyes that indicated Shego was less than pleased with his latest "brilliant' plan to take over the world. Dr. Drakken considered himself an intelligent man but just could not grasp why the beautiful, green toned villain would not see reason.

So he suggested that she seduce the CEO of a Wilch/Myers Pharmaceuticals so that she can gain access to his impenetrable security system. He really needed the plans for their recent break through!

"Shego, please see the up side of this plan" he pleaded as he dove for cover again.

"Drew Percy Lipsky, and yes I used your whole given name to make this as clear as possible; I AM NOT YOUR WHORE!"

As the onslaught of green plasma settled down this time he felt he may be starting to see where his pitch may have gone astray. "It's not like that She--" Another green ball of fire promptly ended his explanation.

"Listen up and listen good you sniveling moron; I am sure somewhere in your moronic melon of a brain you thought this was a simple plan but you managed to hit one of my major buttons and for the safety of your pitiful existence and my future employment checks I am going to take an extended PAID vacation. Don't try and track me I will be back when I am back"

And with that she grabbed her bag which she always had packed incase the little Princess ever stopped by for a little visit and her bumbling partner managed to find the big red self destruct button she kept pleading with Drakken NOT to install (or at least paint another color).

As she got behind the wheel of her 71' LeMans Convertible and revved up the 350 stock, straight 8 under the hood she let herself relax a bit. She loved this car, dark green exterior with silver trim and a refurbished black leather interior. She had actually done most of the work her self.

Two little known facts about Shego she did not get out much in the way of a social life as most people considered one to be. Most men either were afraid of her or wanted to get her in the sack to claim the exotic beauty as a unique notch on their headboard.

So she had to find another type of passion and while most were aware of her excellent martial skills and extensive practice few would suspect she was a bit of gear head. Working on classic muscle cars like this allowed her to loose herself in down time between Drakken's various ridiculous & doomed plans.

So as she barreled out of their remote lair and headed for the interstate she thought it was kind of fitting when an old Bob Seger song came up on her play list "Roll Me Away' seemed to describe her thoughts exactly…

"West it is. Let's see where this road will take me".

**Mt Yamanouchi, Japan**

"What do you mean my new training, Sensei? Am I not doing well in my instructions to the younger students?" Yori was worried she had failed somehow in her tasks and that the odd change in the old master had something to do with her mistakes.

"No child, quite the contrary…sit-no here" Sensei motioned for her to sit beside him versus her natural place as a student in front of him.

They both sat cross legged in a long silence and appreciated the dazzling vista before them. Being late spring the snow melt at this altitude was giving way to a splendid array of blooms beyond description. Although a bit brisk the early evening breeze brought on it the aroma of re-birth and renewal in form of blossoms and fruit. Sensei broke the silence first;

"Change is upon us, change can be good, challenging and even frightening but we must embrace or run the slow death of indifference and stagnancy."

"What is coming, Sensei"

"Daughter there are forces in motion I can not predict as they have never happened in all my many years. There is much I must reveal to you about myself and this place and most importantly bout the Lotus blade. It may disturb you to hear it all but I see it's your destiny, if you choose to claim it".

It was much for her to absorb and possibly the single longest statement she had ever heard him say. But what captivated her most was not the content, but the opener.

_He called me daughter!_

Since he had taken her in as a small child she had always revered him as a stately father figure and he had always treated her well and imparted his caring and knowledge freely. But never had he let that word pass his lips until now.

She was a highly trained Ninja but was totally caught unawares by that simple word and it's affect on her. He continued as if reading her mind…

"Yes, Yori I have always been fond of you and regarded you as my most prized student. However recent events have led me to believe that you were not merely left at the doors of this school by accident but were rather destined to embrace what is to come. If that is so than you are truly by the powers that granted me my place here…my daughter. I could not have chosen better my self and I thank the fates for doing so in my stead."

"What is to come? And what can I do to help?"

Sensei smiled his crooked smile and rose to his feet, "That daughter is up to you, the training will be harder than anything you have ever experienced and it will pale by the trials ahead but the path does have its rewards. Do you accept this challenge?"

"It will be my honor to accept, Sensei-when do I begin?"

"You already have" And with that the old man belied his looks with a sweeping forearm strike to the left side of her neck that immediately left her unconscious.

"Forgive me child, this road will be anything but pleasant"

**Somewhere on the far side of Mt Yamanouchi**

**Night time**

_He couldn't have? Why would...where am I? What has happened?_

The diminutive Ninja sat up and shook the cob webs from her brain and took stock of her situation. She had a bo staff laid next to her with a note; "Return with your honor clean".

_What was that supposed to mean? _She looked around and realized her next concern; she was completely naked. _Well this should make things interesting_.

Her nipples were announcing that she was rather cold and that perhaps she should get moving or at least find shelter.

_But where is here_? She looked around the exceptionally dark night- no moon and from the stars she could tell it was late into the night. She knew that these particular Lotus flowers only grew on Mt Yamanouchi so she at least knew her rough proximity. But nothing looked familiar.

She resigned herself to the fact of making do but what she wouldn't give for what her American friend called "RonShine"; that made her smile despite her predicament. She had not seen him for some time but he still warmed her with a simple memory.

_I am sure he would have some joke or silly statement to make this more enjoyable_ she pondered as she looked for something to serve as shelter until morning.

She found a shallow cave for shelter and some pine branches to protect form the cold. Once she got enough dry wood together she even managed to get a small fire going to warm herself. Food could wait until morning.

Despite her predicament she found herself thinking of him again as she nodded off to sleep;

_I hope Ron is doing well where ever he is…_

**Loomis, WA **

**North Cascade Range**

Ron was in fact NOT doing all right.

For all his Mystical Monkey Powers he couldn't navigate a road map to save his life and the GPS in his Ronnicator seemed to not be getting any signals with all these mountains.

To boot a major storm had damn near washed him off the road and between the torrential rain and regular lighting strikes he considered himself lucky to have found a small diner/post office/gas station to pull up to and sleep in the car until morning.

In hindsight it was likely the sunlight cresting over the high ridgeline that woke him. However that would not explain why the large horse was asking him if he was OK.

Ron was well practiced at evaluating situations, but this was just a bit much for his sleep addled mind to compute.

"Are you OK mister?" Damn this horse was persistent. Maybe if I play possum it will go away.

"Hey mister if you don't wake up I am getting my Dad to bust in there!"

_Dad?_ Slowly Ron inched his throbbing head up and chuckeld as he realized what was happening.

The horse head that dominated his driver window and looked like he was talking – was a normal horse licking the sweet coffee that he had spilled on the window last night, and it's "voice" was actually a young boy on it's back out of view from his position in the small car.

_Man I have got to either get some caffeine or more sleep cause that was weird._

"Yeah I'm fine kid-thanks for asking; by the way where the heck am I?"

"You're in Loomis, Washington-bout as far north as you can go in the Cascades before you're a Canadian".

"Thanks again-I owe you; what's your name by the way?"

"Jesse and this here is Troop" said the freckled face boy of about ten.

"Alright Jesse and Troop-thanks again can I get ya a candy bar or juice or something in the store there?" Asked Ron as he got out of the car and stretched.

"Wow, that would be.."  
"Jesse get on back home now." Said a stern voice from behind Ron's vehicle.

"Ahhhh, Maann…..but Dad!"

"But Nuthin-get movin'! You in the car, you alive in there?"

"Yes, sir; just in need of coffee & a road map that doesn't lie" stated Ron nervously from his odd position across the front seat.

"Jeb said he saw you in there when he opened up, your' not sleeping off a bender or anything I need to know about are you" asked a rather built police officer who came into Ron's view with a hand casually ready by an unbuckled but holstered .45 caliber Kimber Custom.

Only Ron's heightened senses allowed him to realize that the man was far more on edge than he was letting on.

_Stay cool any po' dunk cop that has that sort of hardware is a bit more than he appears…_

"Nope officer, just got lost during the storm and thought I'd ride it out here instead of giving you some work fishing me out of a river this morning".

Ron felt like the seasoned cop looked straight through him, sized him up, recognized something and made a decision in the span of 2 seconds.

"Well come on into the diner, I'm sure Martha has some fresh coffee on, I'll buy ya a cup- the name's Brent."

Relieved that the cop seemed to accept him at face value he got out to comply with the very reasonable request.

"That's awful nice of you…Brent; my name is…"

"Ron Stoppable, partner in crime fighting to Kim Possible".

Stunned all Ron could think to say as they entered the diner was "you know MY name?"

Chuckling Brent replied "you know we may be in the sticks, but we do get satellite & cable and your little Space Needle escapade made big news last night."

"Oh"

"But hell I knew who you were from some of your previous cases, I am in Law Enforcement and it pays to keep up on the big players out there on the off chance something finds it's way into our sleepy neck of the woods."

"Makes sense,... thank you mam'" Ron stated as Martha brought them some coffee.

After they made an order for breakfast and chatted a bit about the previous night's storm Brent looked at Ron a bit oddly and asked, "Mind if I ask a question about that Space Needle gig?"  
"Sure go ahead"

"I don't like to play Monday morning quarter back but I have to know something"  
"What's that?" Asked Ron his own curiosity a bit piqued.

"Is Kim a major adrenaline junkie or something?"

Chuckling a bit Ron agreed that she was a bit and encouraged him to elaborate.

"Well I saw the Sky Cam footage and wondered…why didn't she just unplug the extension cord at her feet?"

The officer thought he had pressed too far when the young man slapped himself square in the face and let out a groan. He was even more surprised when a smiling Ron looked up and said;

"You and me are going to get along just fine…"

**I-84 just south of Boise Idaho**

"Well this is just great!" bellowed a raven haired beauty who was dangerously close to blasting the big rig truck in front of her with enough plasma to give the driver a 2000 degree enema.

"First this rain, then lightning, thunder now this jerk is sliding over all the lanes!"

Now it may have been the storm, the trucker or perhaps the fact she was ranting out loud to herself that caused Shego to completely miss the school bus coming up on her left that suddenly swerved towards her driver side door!

Only her well tuned instincts enabled her to jerk the wheel hard to the right and control her fish tailing enough to make the next exit.

She pulled off the road to catch her breath and noted the off ramp sign indicating an airport.

"Well at least I will be able to find a bar in the airport and a hotel near by; I need to get off the road."

After leaving her car in the garage she found her way into the Pilot's lounge, got a stiff drink and faded back into the darkest corner to be found.

Being a somewhat experienced pilot her self she was able to follow the conversations going on about her and get a feel for the local flight "scene" if you will. Not being an overly large airport it had its fair share of crop dusters and private planes but what caught her ear was the charter and "adventure" trips gaining in popularity.

_Sounds like fun, at least keep my mind of Blue Boy's crack pot schemes for a while_.

So she struck up a conversation with one of the younger & more impressionable of the adventure pilots, applied some of her feminine whiles to get his attention and before long she was signed up as co-pilot/adventure guide on their next trip up to Canada. They would leave as soon as the storm let up….

**Far side of Mt Yamanouchi, Japan**

Yori awoke just prior to dawn from the cold. Her fire had gone out and the shrill breeze gusting up the ravines and gorges tore at her nude form even in the relative protection of her small cave.

"Return with your honor clean? What does that mean? Does he expect some sort of trouble, or for me to do something wrong?"

Yori mused over her current mission as she tried to rub some sensation back into her feet and hands prior to her departure.

"There is no wisdom in remaining here and being a "vegetable" as Ron-san would say"-_Oh how I could use his warm body right now!_

More to keep moving than to get her bearings Yori decided to climb one of the larger nearby trees.

She did not think that she would be able to decipher much in the thick jungle but fortunately she was in luck! There was a small break in the foliage that allowed a glimpse of a small house/shack about a kilometer away to the east.

"Sensei was right, never forget that life as well as the battle field is 3 dimensional, opponents & opportunity may be just above your head."

Starting at a brisk jog to shake off the chill Yori became less and less concerned with covering herself. Always a humble and modest girl it surprised her that she soon became at ease with being in the "buff" in public. Granted there was not much out here but critters to object but…

_Its was sort of liberating walking through nature with only what nature gave you and a simple bo staff that your Sensei left you…_

_after leaving you in the middle of no where…unconscious…naked…hungry…alone…with…_

_NO! I will NOT let the FEAR take over or PANIC set in…MUST center and focus myself. _

Up ahead she noted that she was approaching the small house and secluded herself in some thick brush with a good vantage point to observe the house.

She decided to lightly meditate to get her self under control and survey the place before approaching. Calming her breathing and letting her senses stretch out Yori was readily able to get a "feel" for her surroundings.

The birds, animals, even insects soon accepted her un-intrusive form as part of the scenery and carried on with their days.

Giving her attention over fully to her surroundings, she closed her eyes; no smells of humans in the area, not even compost or garbage much less cooking or cleaning.

No sounds other than the natural symphony of nature, predator/prey, water over rock, insect to flower. Her mouth was too dry to really taste anything.

But what was really odd to her was that despite her initial glimpse of a rather recently built house of contemporary Japanese architecture this place just "felt" very old. It was hard to put her finger on it but even though it was a normal enough looking house she instinctively regarded it with a sort of reverence similar to a temple or church.

"Always save sight for last when assessing a place with your senses- it is the most finicky and often easiest fooled" Sensei had drilled into her from a very early age.

Heading his advice she at last opened her eyes and found something she had missed earlier. Behind the house was a clothes line with a Ghee about her size and even some well treaded shoes at the base of the post.

She clandestinely circled behind and approached the house- no one could have heard her approach as she had not even moved a twig. When she was within about 100 ft of the back edge of the yard she noted something else, their was a steaming bowl of rice and another of fruit on the back porch with tea and water!

She instantly ducked lower into the brush and paused since she knew the sight would certainly cause her starved stomach to audibly rumble, as if on cue a grumble and rumbling that would have made even Ron or Rufus's cavernous stomachs proud issued forth and she was certain that perhaps her favorite boy & mole rat had even heard it all the way in America!

She paused some time to let her stomach settle and reach out with her senses again. Right off the bat she felt that over whelming sense of almost awe. Again no unnatural sounds, despite fresh laundry & food sitting out back.

And now the really odd thing was she could not smell the food even though she made sure to approach from down wind and was certainly within range that she should smell SOMETHING.

She had to make a choice & considered her options: _either brazenly walk up to the house and ask for aid, food & clothing in the nude; or stealthily acquire what she needed- or just move on down the forest in an unknown part of the forest...with no bearings…no food…no clothes…no water…no hope-STOP! Must remain calm & focus. _

_Hard to think when your so bloody hungry! OK so much for option 3. Perhaps the acquiring, I AM a Ninja aren't I? _

_No I will not cloak stealing in fancy words to suit my needs. I may be a Ninja but I am NOT a common thief. _

_But could I really walk up there naked and ask for help? And what if there are people there that would do me harm?_

After a bit of deliberation she steeled her resolve, grabbed her staff and stood.

"I am a trained Ninja of the Yamanouchi School, my wits & my hands are all I need to succeed in this world. I have nothing to fear from the unknown and am now comfortable in my own skin. I will not dishonor myself or Sensei with theft but am humble enough to ask for help." With that she began to stride towards the house and blinked repeatedly as it …disappeared.

Where the house, the food and the clothes had stood only a barren old training field remained. In the center stood a small chair with a lone cup of water. She walked to it and stood over it.

Her mouth was so parched and she was so disoriented by recent events that it did not even occur to her to be startled when a presence moved up beside her and spoke.

"You chose well to resist temptation and the easy comfort of theft. Your reward is this cup of water to quench your thirst young warrior and gain strength, you will need it".

Yori turned and took in the sight of a ninja in full Samurai armor of a very old & elegant design. Deep crimson was the tone of all the hard strike point armor with fine cut bamboo weave throughout accented by a beautiful Jade green trim. The armor was culminated by what could only described as a clan crest on the center of the breast plate; A red rising sun giving way to a coiled serpent.

The truly disturbing point of this visage came when Yori remembered Sensei's lesson of a 3-dimensional world and looked down- the Samurai had no feet or legs below his thigh armor! Just a light fog/haze below the hovering form of a spectral warrior. As calmly as possible Yori addressed the ghost after she bowed respectfully;

"Thank you for your kind words and offer of nourishment. Please take no disrespect but I have obviously continued in my trials by wits before wiles and it would be fool hearty of me now to accept gifts from a bearer of the serpent."

"Well spoken and played…for your respect you gain one minute, your humility-one minute and your wisdom-one minute" echoed the voice of the ancient ninja.

"Samurai-san please forgive my ignorance… 3 minutes for what?"

She swore she could almost make out a smile break wide under his mask as a dozen armor clad, spectral Samurai spread out behind him.

"A head start…now go!"

And so the hunt began…

**Middleton, CO**

**Kim Possible's Room**

"What do you mean the chip doesn't work!" bellowed a very upset teen hero at her computer genius.

"Kim, relax the last track I had on him was Everette, WA heading North East. That is some pretty rough country up there, I probably am just not getting a good read off the satellite due to the terrain" responded Wade.

"Just keep on it- this is SO not like Ron to stay out of touch and not answer our calls"

"Honestly KP do you really know what 'like Ron" is lately? I mean he has spent more time at my place and at the park meditating lately than he has with you."

"What do you mean! He is MY boyfriend! Of course I have spent time with him,just the other day we…I mean last week we…Uh…I know we have…"

"Kim I am not trying to berate you here, I am sure this is just a normal slump or something but I am trying to point out Ron's point of view"

"Why" asked a dumbfounded Red head.

"Because Ron cares too much about you to tell you himself"

"Thanks Wade, I probably needed that. Could you just please keep trying to find him and let me know the moment you know something?"

"Will do, KP & don't worry I'm sure this will all work out" signed off the wiz kid.

The girl that can do anything suddenly did not know what to do. She had operated without Ron before and done fine. When he was sick, or at Camp or hiding in a Panic Room; she knew she was capable of functioning without him.

It just seemed the sudden impact of him LEAVING with out her and not returning when beckoned was disorienting. It almost felt as if she was on a boat in a good current that had lost it's rudder; she was going somewhere-just not sure where.

"Well I guess I can go see what Monique is up to and catch up, maybe do a little shopping to chill the mind until Wade finds something."

Driving over to Monique's place she chided herself for not calling ahead but figured what the heck, if she isn't home she'll most likely be at the mall and if she has a guy over she has no issues being blunt enough to tell her best GF to bugger off.

Pulling into the drive way she noticed a car she had not seen before and almost decided to try that call anyways when the front door opened. Deciding to meet her friend at the door Kim got out and was surprised to see Felix roll out on his cybernetic wheelchair ahead of Monique.

They seemed to be leaning towards each other a little closer than usual before they noticed her; "Hey KP!" They both called out although Monique suddenly seemed a bit apprehensive.

"What's up you two?! What trouble a have you been stirring up now?" she tossed back with a smirk.

"Just me." Stated a tall blonde closing the front door behind Monique. He was sporting a fashionable leather coat and was groomed as if stepping off the cover of GQ which he had in fact done the year before. He was the last person she had expected to see and oddly enough…excited at the sight of.

"Hello…Josh"


	2. Ch2 Update

**A/N**: Thanks for all the great reviews! This story was far better received than I could have hoped. I will do my best to keep it going and integrate some of the suggestions I have received.

A big thanks to **Quis Custodiet** for his input and help on this. Also I need to throw out there that his Ron Stoppable: Ultimate Monkey Master was a big inspiration for my writing and if there are similarities or "borrowed" items all props go to him. Check out his stuff- you won't be disappointed.

The quote in this chapter about every answer can be found in nature is originally from one of my favorite books- The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. I highly recommend it as it is an incredible epic of a book. I have tried to adopt the philosophy in my own life and felt it fitting in this scenario.

Of course the disclaimer – Disney made this little world; I just play in it. Also- no naked mole rats were injured or abused in the completion of this chapter.

On with the show…

**The Blade & The Bloom, Chapter 2**

**Middleton, Colorado**

**Within the best connected basement, probably anywhere**

It may have been the moist feeling on his face or the sound of typing that woke the 17 year old super genius from his slumber.

Once again he found himself asleep at his work station of numerous high power computers and data processing units. He quickly explained away the wet feeling as the drool he had accumulated in the poor sleep position hunched over his desk; but what was that odd typing sound?

He looked over to the far side of his basement and found the cause- a middle aged naked mole rat that was currently clicking away on his secondary monitoring station.

He had developed the station after the fiasco with Team Impossible frying his system. Deciding to have a back up totally isolated from his primary so that he could quickly transition and back up his team if a repeat performance occurred.

Over the last year Rufus had developed a desire to learn more. As odd as that sounds, Wade was happy to oblige and created a scaled down, holographic keyboard that Rufus could easily type with and a wireless mouse that worked very well with his diminutive hands.

Ron chalked his pet's urge to improve his mind as a mild mid life crisis as he was getting towards the back half of his 30 year life expectancy.

But Wade had some other theories and it was becoming not uncommon for the cheese loving critter to spend a few weeks at a time with Wade.

Rufus seemed to be focused on martial and cultural history/lore of the Orient while Wade had just completed another Masters; this time in advanced Biology with an emphasis on small mammals.

His hope was to better learn why his little buddy was so unique and perhaps understand how to help him utilize his gifts to their full potential. His unusual prowess and motivation could easily be explained by the Mystical Monkey Powers that coursed through him. However Wade speculated that since his cognitive skills were advanced to begin with he may have been experimented on prior to Ron buying him at Smarty Mart.

He had tracked the bill of sale on Rufus and discovered that he had been returned by a previous owner after only 3 weeks for a full refund but the transaction was in cash and untraceable. Perhaps the experience was traumatic and the little guy just suppressed it?

Either way Wade was determined to find out and was more than happy to share his computers with Rufus and help him learn what ever he wished.

Wade had been improving himself as well.

As puberty took him in its sadistic clutches he decided to make the most of his growth spurts and instituted his own physical training program (scientifically formulated of course). With an improved diet regimen and work outs regularly with equipment donated by GJ he had sprouted into a fairly solid young man of 6'1" and 210 lbs of generally lean mass.

He found that by having his gym in his basement with his other equipment his other responsibilities wouldn't suffer and it actually helped him pass the time when his systems were bogged down with overly complex algorithms.

He still however rarely ventured out of his parents home; but hey- Rome wasn't built in a day.

With his new found physique had come a bit more confidence which had been difficult for a particular red-headed heroine to adjust to.

So it was not surprising to Wade as he monitored the growing rift between KP and Ron. He could certainly sympathize with Ron.

Some time ago she had paid Wade a surprise visit and caught him performing a satellite "Reconnaissance" of the Playboy Mansion during their Mid Summer Night's Dream party and gone off the handle. "Team Possible's reputation" this and "you have no right" that was promptly shut down when he stood to his full height towering over her by several inches and said in a much deeper voice than she ever remembered hearing from him,

"I don't pretend that I can take you in a fight or dictate your tactics in the field, but I'll be _damned_ if you think you can come into my space and tell me how to utilize my down time. Now if you want to continue to enjoy the free services of a computer tech with 2 Ph.D's and 3 masters that can easily charge any company in the country high 6 figures; you will sit down and listen to what I have to say".

And thus Wade's position in Team Possible was re-negotiated and Kim came to see her tech-geek in a whole new light.

In addition to allowing him to start accepting donations of equipment and resources from grateful recipients of her rescues he wanted to have her start teaching him some basic self-defense.

That was 2 years ago and the change was certainly noteworthy. For starters, when it came to the tech side of the house- what Wade said went- end of story. This had the added benefit of cutting down argument time concerning "if" he could do something or "had you tried everything"; both KP & Ron just trusted Wade had it under control and did not questions him.

But best of all the team's equipment was now completely state of the art. The hair dryer grappler was replaced with wrist mounted, mono-filament "steel silk" that could carry three times the weight from a device that looked like a common bracelet.

Both Ron and Kim's stylish sun glasses had the capability to see in Infra red/Night Vision & Thermal but would also automatically block out any high intensity light from a flash or light burst. They both had updated wrist mounted Communicators but still carried the PDA style one as back up and to handle larger files, observation and scanning jobs.

He had also developed a bullet deflective, light weight material to be worn under normal clothes, primarily shorts and a T-Shirt but getting them to wear them was challenging at best. Especially for the fashion conscious Kim, while Ron would just would forget to put his on.

But the gadget he was most proud of was the upgraded tracking chip he had implemented in both KP & Ron. It could monitor all vital signs and as a last resort it could even put out a high frequency noise that deters any assailant that had gotten the upper hand on them.

The big thing was that the tracking software he developed was tied into the entire world wide satellite grid allowing him to find them anywhere on the planet or even low orbit. And that was what had Wade stumped as he awoke from an all-nighter trying to find Ron.

He had down played his concern to Kim so she wouldn't do anything rash. However he was beginning to worry since no terrain or storm for that matter should have blocked his signal.

He knew that Ron should be fine because if the chip was removed or his vitals became erratic the chip should send a burst transmission to the nearest satellite that would penetrate NORAD if need be. He was confidant that Ron would be alright given his developing skills and the infamous "Ron Factor".

Besides if Ron didn't pick up Rufus soon the little rodent would beat his high score on every role playing computer game he had!

**Loomis, WA**

**Riding up the side of some VERY steep roads in the North Cascade Mountains**

_Ron Factor my ass- more like Ron Splatter!_ Were the thoughts of one particular blonde as he rode shot gun in an old but well-running F-150 up the side of a nasty switch back country rode.

"I sure appreciate you driving me up here Brent. You were right there was no way my little loaner car was getting up this road." Noted Ron as they once again came perilously close to a several hundred foot drop off.

"No worries, saves me the hassle & paperwork of fishing the wreck out of Lake Spectacle or wherever you dumped it over the side." Brent noted with a wry grin. "Seriously though I can't have world saving hero's developing their first impression of the area going up some tourist trampled trail. I'll set you up on the trail head that I take my boys deep into the prettiest territory you ever did see."

"Thanks, but in all honesty Kim is the big hero; I am usually just the sidekick making distractions." Ron stated in a rather hollow voice.

Brent cocked up an eye brow and assessed the younger man on his right, "You know humility is a good trait but not at the cost of honesty. As I remember the report on your "Little Diablo Bot" gig- you pretty much saved the day on that one. When I was in the service it was pretty important for every one to know their place on a team but still learn every body else's job-that way if someone got hurt or dead- we could still complete the mission. If that aint happening you might want to take a look at what your definition of 'team' is."

"I will keep that in mind. In fact that is why I was hoping to get up in to the hills, get away from everything and sort of re-set my bearings, you know?"

With a very distant look in his eyes the veteran/cop smiled, "yes Ron I know exactly what you mean, and you picked a great spot for it, this is some of the most pristine, untouched territory in the lower 48 states".

"Brent, if you don't mind me asking, what did you do in the service? You carry yourself more like a spec-ops operator and are packing better hardware than most FBI agents I have met."

With that same far off expression he sighed, "Well I was in the Navy for 8 years. I learned a lot, got to do some cool stuff and had a pretty good time with it. But that was all many moons ago. Let's just say I wasn't your typically swabby and leave it at that, OK?"

"Fair enough, I hope I'm not pushing your hospitality by asking another question?"

"Nah, I just don't talk much about stuff that should stay in the past. What else is on your mind?"

"When you approached me this morning in the car, you seemed pretty wound tight. I mean you were relaxed on the outside but I could tell you were very ready for a fight. Is there something going on?"

The law officer seemed torn on what to say for a moment then seemed to come to a decision and nodded; "Well yeah, there is. We aren't putting it out into the mainstream media for fear of affecting tourism & industry in the area though. Maybe with your connections someone up stairs might decide to send some assets are way. See the smugglers have gotten smart over the years. With all the political and legal focus on the Mexican border it has become relatively easy to conduct their business across the Canadian border. With the Cascade Mountains separating this state effectively in two, the only support we have on this side is what's in the trunk of our squad cars."

"Smugglers, you mean drugs?" asked Ron.

"Drugs, guns, people whatever a criminals little black heart could wish for."

"So the border check points aren't working?"

"Well they do their best but even with the Canadian Mounties pitching in it's an uphill battle to cover the road check points and the rugged border up here. And lately they have gotten pretty savvy with charter planes making clandestine drops."

"So why isn't more being done?"

"Classic case of squeaky wheel gets the oil. The crooks are smart enough to avoid raising interest by committing crimes up here and generally stay out of the way as long as no one crosses their paths. But you are sitting in the middle of a topographical choke point for them with light Border Patrol coverage, highway access and the ability to fade into the large National Parks. Most of us local cops are just doing the best we can, staying at it and keeping vigilant. We tag a good percentage of them; but we still have our responsibilities with traffic and keeping the peace-it's a balancing act."

"So you saw an untagged car and a "body" in the front and of course approached with caution; I can see how you could assume it to be worse all things considered."

"Yep, but don't sweat it. This is just my little slice of "crime fighting" as you guys put it. It may not be much but I like to think were making a bit of a difference."

Ron sat back and thought about this.

Here was a guy who obviously had a "history" in what had to be some sort of action packed military unit, but he didn't throw it out there and brag about it. He had a pretty thankless job and from the sounds of it was outgunned and undermanned at every turn.

Yet he had an upbeat and positive outlook and didn't hesitate to help out a stranger. _I sure wish more people had that demeanor; it would put me & KP out of work fast._

"Well here we are. Start heading northwest on that trail and you will climb for about 3 hours. If you make sure to keep the point of this ridge on your right you should come out onto an open valley and meadow that has several subtle trails. There is a fresh water spring so you should have all the water you need and if you're even slightly handy in the field you should be able to eat well with what's available."

"All right then- thanks again for the lift! I will drop a note at the Diner in a week or two when I work my way down to let you know that I made it out all right."

"Good idea, and remember those smugglers don't mess around. No death rays or energy gizmos- just a bullet to the back of your head. So if you see something just get away and let me know. I have some options available if there is a big problem but I can't call them in if you are in a shallow grave up here."

"Will do, like I said I'm not trying to play hero or mess around in your sandbox. Just looking for a little R&R. Sure appreciates all the help. Take it easy."

"As your pal says-'No Big'. Catch ya later". Called out the cop as he drove back down the trail.

With only a few more hours until nightfall, Ron decided to get a move on to that meadow. _If all goes well I can make it there in time to make a little chow and catch a good night's sleep. For the next few days let's just see where the wind takes me._

**Somewhere on the far side of Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan**

_What am I missing!?! _Thought a very bruised and weary Yori as she raced through the jungle for her life.

She had lost track of how long she had been running and had very little idea of where she was in relation to her start at the field she had begun.

She was beginning to doubt how much longer she could go on.

She had engaged the ghost samurai on 3 separate occasions and barely escaped each time. The first she had realized that her punches just sailed through their ethereal bodies, yet their blows landed very solidly onto her own. She had run and circled descending on one with a punishing blow from her staff that did connect, but only seemed to briefly faze him. Quickly the others had begun to ensnare her in a box attack pattern that she just narrowly sprung out of before the unseen pair pounced from behind.

She had then come across a waterfall with a clearing near a sheer rock face on the right side. On the wall there seemed to be some script etched into the wall and a lit torch sticking out of a crack in the rock near it...

"You have all that you need to complete your trial" read Yori as she panted and attempted to catch her breath. _All that I need!?! I don't even have clothes! How can I have everything I need? Think, think-what am I missing?_

She did not have long to rest or ponder.

She soon realized that she had been baited and 12 of the ghosts had split into a pincer movement trapping her against the wall. She quickly dove into the base of the waterfall to break up their approach, coiled on the balls of her feet and sprung out behind the formation.

She dug deep and fought like a demon, savagely lashing out at the largest of them and throwing the specter into a massive tree- impaling him on a large broken branch. While he did not bleed he did seem out of the fight for awhile.

Not that it gave her a respite with eleven more re grouping and stalking up on her.

_How was it that I was able to grab him? _She briefly looked at her hands and noted that they as well as the rest of her was soaked with water.

She was not given long to consider this as 2 pairs of phantom ninjas attacked from opposing angles simultaneously. She did a double back flip and lunged towards the water to give her the advantage of a terrain feature for them all to negotiate. She was rewarded by noticing they were wary to enter the water and seemed to consider how to pursue.

Not looking a gift horse in the mouth she quickly turned downstream and swam as fast as she could to put some distance between her and her attackers.

About a kilometer down stream she got out on the far side of the river and regrouped as she quietly padded deeper into the jungle.

_OK time to re-center and figure this out._

"For every question you will ever have, the answer can be found in Nature" This was the first teaching that Sensei had taught her and forced her to memorize. For some reason ever since she had thrown that ghost into the tree it had been repeating itself in her mind.

_Perhaps the water in my hands enabled me to grasp him, which would explain why they didn't want to get into the water. The tree seemed to actually penetrate him where my bare fists did nothing. My staff fazed them but only temporarily. I can't keep this running up much longer. _

_My options are dwindling. _

_I am hungry. _

_I'm naked. _

_I think I sprained my ankle and my shoulder feels like it is going to fall off where the one grabbed me…_

_NO! I will not sink into despair. I will overcome this. The answer can be found in Nature… _

_Hmmmm…_

_Water, Tree, Staff-made of wood… could it be? _

_If the water and tree represented two of the 4 primary elements I may just be onto something. Of course a living person can't affect a ghost but the very Nature that gives them the power to exist just might…_

Slowly a plan formulated in her mind. As she turned back towards the water fall she planned her final stand and for the first time since this whole ordeal started… a small predatory smile crept over her face.

**In the sky above Washington State**

**On board a small four passenger Cessna with two occupants**

A brilliant sunset was just putting the finishing touches on its ocean canvas in the distant west. Since Shego was in the right sided, co-pilot seat on their North bound flight path she had to gaze out over the pilot's window to appreciate the spectacular view that she was currently lost in.

Unfortunately this particular pilot mistakenly thought her attention was centered on him...

"You know babe there is more to me than just rugged good looks." Was his dismal attempt at a good line.

Startled from her revelry she quickly surmised what he was thinking and chose to bite back her initial retort since she was effectively working for this guy and currently 15,000 ft above the darkening ground.

She decided to change the subject and took a look behind her, "You sure have some odd gear in here for an adventure trip. Cargo parachutes, multiple tandem chutes, assorted Pelican cases and what is with all the empty Camouflaged Hockey bags?"

Suddenly the pilot shifted in his seat a bit and seemed somewhat nervous. "Uh, well my partner in Vancouver has most of the gear. I am just bringing some electronics and er, gear for the rest of the trip. Yeah and the bags are for the clients to put all their stuff in when we issue it…yeah"

Shego had seen 6 year olds try and weasel out of Time Out better than that. Something was up and she suddenly had a strong urge to find out what it was.

"All right I know you were looking to impress your way down my pants but let's get something straight; I do NOT take kindly to being duped. What EXACTLY is going on?" She punctuated her last words with a small flare of plasma from her right hand.

"Whoah! What the hell are you lady? I don't gotta tell you nuthin! Just chill out and try not to blow up the plane with that thing."

"I'll tell you _what _I am. I am going to be the last thing you ever see after I slowly broil every appendage on your body before dumping you out over Mt. Ranier." Reaching over and grabbing his crotch with her unlit left hand and flaring her right a bit certainly got his attention.

"OK, OK! Take it easy! Let go of the merchandise and I'll lay it out for you. Jeez you said you had no love for the law back at the bar so I thought you would be cool with this."

"What exactly _is_ this." Asked Shego as she let go of one head to let the other start thinking straight again and slightly dimmed her plasma.

"Well the Adventure Sport thing is real and all, we take a few clients out every year to the mountains to make it all legal and good on the books. But it's a cover OK."

"A cover for what?"

"What do I have to spell it out?"

"Spelling would be a great start, let me try-I am going to K…I…L…"

"All right, all right- I get it! We're smugglers. We pick stuff up in Canada through a loose port in Vancouver and fly, trek or get it over the border however is easiest."

"Smuggle what, guns, money- what exactly? And don't make me get you hooked on phonics again"

"Yeah guns, money, drugs, people- whatever you need; we can deliver" stated the pilot a little too smugly.

Now despite her penchant for evil which was healthy in its own right; there are a few things that Shego simply despised with a passion.

Guns weren't high on her list but she did acknowledge that her plasma gave her an edge and she was slightly biased- people had a right to defend themselves- she had just seen people do stupid stuff with them instead of treat them like the tools the were.

But drugs were another thing entirely.

Having seen the effects of varied street drugs back in Go-City when she was a hero she hated anything to do with them and considered anyone involved with their distribution to rank somewhere below that stuff on the underside of a toilet-seat lid.

As for smuggling people, well considering that most of them were going to probably end up as slave labor in some sweat shop…again that was pretty much a no-brainer.

It wasn't that she was having some hero re-lapse, she just had her own brand of evil she preferred and not stringing kids out in despair was a pretty solid part of it.

All of this flickered through her mind quickly as she decided on a course of action.

"Why didn't you just tell me before?" She purred out in a sultry voice as she slid a hand up his thigh and un-did the font of her blouse. Her dark emerald bra complimented her skin tone and barely containing her perfect breasts.

"I am all about making money and the thrill of danger" cooing into his ear. Her right hand unbuttoning the top button of his jeans as her left slid behind the seat searching for something in particular.

"I bet a big dangerous guy like yourself is full of all sorts of surprises..." As she leaned over he paid no attention to her hands as he was transfixed on her chest where the edges of her areola were creeping over the edge and it seemed gravity would soon win in the battle to lay claim to her breasts.

"Yeah baby, that's more like it, I knew you would be cool…" he gasped as she reached in and grabbed his member. Effectively taking his brain out of gear as she slipped a single parachute over her side of the cockpit seat.

"Now make sure to keep your hands on the stick and I'll do the same big boy" she muttered as he reveled in her particular ministrations. Out of the corner of her eyes she made sure the buckles and straps were unfastened on the chute and looked to ensure the hatch was unlocked.

"Now since you have finally been so honest with me; should I do something for you? Yes? OK relax and close your eyes and get ready for your surprise" She hooked her right arm through the strap of the chute and grabbed the latch of the door…

"NO ONE & I mean NO ONE plays me; especially to help run drugs you filthy piece of shit! Have a nice flight!"

Shego lit a full blast between his legs through his seat and the bottom of the plane. He howled from the singes and was pulling a pistol from his jacket and turning to take a shot when she popped the latch and did a back roll out of the plane.

While controlling her spin and leveling her free fall she took a couple shots of her own at the plane, only one of which connects ripping a good chunk of the starboard side wing off. Before facing downward she is greeted with a smoke trail descending northwest from her in a very steep angle.

Tending to the matter at hand she hastily works her way into the harness and clips in. _Not going to be the most comfortable fit but it will do._ She figured she was about at 9-10,000 ft and still free falling getting her bearings.

Thinking about all the rugged wilderness below her priority was to make it somewhere remotely civilized. All she could see was a darkening void with some snow capped peaks reflecting the residual sunset.

A faint blue light to the north gets her attention. _If I pull now and really work the chute I might make it. _

Pulling the rip cord on her parachute she was rewarded with a near neck snapping jerk as the poorly adjusted harness allowed far too much play.

_Note to self DO NOT try jumping out of planes BEFORE putting your chute on again. _

She mused dryly as she adjust her rig and re set her bearing on the only light even remotely in range. Utilizing every trick she knew to milk as much elevation and speed out of the chute she might just make it…

**Inside Ron's Head**

**Yes, a disturbing place to venture alone**

_If this is a dream, where is the hazy edges and all the hot chicks?_ thought Ron as he took in his surroundings.

It had to be a dream to explain the enormous battle playing out before him.

He was standing on a small bluff overlooking a vast field that sloped up to an impressive castle about a mile or two away. Between here & there though was a mass of armored & embattled chaos.

The weapons, armor and setting seemed to allude to early Middle Ages; but the total absence of tactics or training…this had descended into an all out melee. Blows being swung with no regard to friend or foe; men using their comrades bodies as shields- elite knights begging for mercy on their knees and being beheaded for their efforts.

_What sort of madness is this?_ Then something caught Ron's attention to the East. There in the tree line was a man in a black, flowing cloak with an orb of some sorts. Somehow without any evidence Ron knew this man was the cause of the cacophony before him. The man's pale face and hands were all that was evident under the robes, his menacing glare was intimidating even at a distance.

Suddenly the battle seemed to shift. From the side nearest the castle a frenzy of destruction began to cut a swath through the clash and it seemed to be on a bee-line for the strange man.

Ron looked closer and noted that the young brown haired man wore only minimal armor and carried only one weapon with no shield! But he moved like a man possessed and seemed to glow a faint purple!

Even more curious it seemed that the weapon changed repeatedly at the man's unspoken command. He began with a katana that looked exactly like the Lotus Blade; but upon thrusting through a large group of men it shifted too a broad sword.

A heavily armored man attempted to stalk up behind him and the younger warrior simply swung his weapon behind him without looking as it became a brutal battle axe that laid waste to the armored stalker and the 3 men with him. At one point a large pocket of men seemed to agree to stop fighting each other and began to encircle him. He simply stopped and shifted the weapon to a chain linked mace that seemed to grow and retract at will as he swept it over his head and kept them all at bay.

Eventually he worked his way over a mile through the devastation to the pale, dark robed man who was visibly shaken yet stood firm as he needed to be present to control the battle. From within his robes he produced a short walking staff with a jewel at the hilt that he thrust out at the valiant warrior. As the jewel attempted to drag something out of the young man he transformed the blade into a whip that ripped the staff and the man's right pinky finger from his grasp.

Before the villain could pull back and escape Ron noted one unique feature about the man, a tattoo of a serpent coiled around his right forearm.

The young warrior turned victorious to the now quiet battle field with the grace of a king and the wild eyes of beast. As he raised the sword over his head it returned to its original form and was now indisputably the Lotus Blade; all the combatants cheered in unison for their new king.

With a blinding flash Ron found himself on a rainy night in what looked like an ancient Japanese village.

A lone samurai terrorizing his way though the small huts taking what he wanted. As a Samurai without a master and up for the highest bidder he was known as a Ronin. He was rarely opposed and it looked like this rampage would serve him well until his next job.

He was readying to leave having sacked as much wealth as he could find over his shoulder when he heard a small sob from the back room of a small hut. Within was a teenage girl of unsurpassed beauty huddled in a corner trying to be as invisible as possible.

An evil glint crossed the Ronin's eyes and he dropped the bag and began to remove his armor as he approached the frightened girl. She thought her screams would go unanswered as he tore her flimsy robe off her and threw her delicate naked body across the room to the sleeping mat. As he stalked towards her with malice in his eyes he was stopped short by a small voice.

"You will not touch her" said a little unarmed boy of no more than 10 years old standing in the door way with a calm but very focused look on his face.

Laughing the brute continued towards the girl unimpressed by his detractor.

"Take the belongings if you must, but you will leave now or you leave me no choice but to harm you." The boy reiterated with a bit of menace oozing through the calm facade.

Annoyed the Ronin turned, grabbed his sword and thrust down at the boy who seemed to be lost in thought. At the last moment before his blade should have gone clean through a tiny neck his blade clanged to a halt with a brilliant emerald blast hurling the thug across the room.

The boy while glowing a faint hue of that same spectacular green calmly approached the stunned man with the Lotus Blade having materialized in his hand!

"Once again I give you the option to leave, do not force my hand" calmly said the boy.

Lashing out with his sword the samurai for hire was rather surprised when the diminutive defender simply side stepped and cleanly amputated his right hand and proceeded to plunge the blade into his stomach.

"For your actions I will not honor you with a warrior's death. You will leave this village and continue down the road where you will die disgraced like the animal that you are. Now leave or test my ability to bestow greater pain."

Seeing the monster to the gates he returned to the hut of the girl. "Sister, forgive me for I am unsure of what to do now."

He sat cross legged on the floor and began to meditate with the blade across his knees. He began to glow brighter and brighter until the young girl was blinded by an emerald radiance. After it passed she looked to see that the valiant young warrior had vanished.

This scene gave way to Ron seemingly floating in a dark void.

At first he could see and feel nothing. Slowly though he was able to make out a light blue illumination seemingly coming from everywhere until he realized it was emanating from him!

Then he suddenly felt a very comforting weight in his right hand. He had an over whelming sense of homecoming and kinship and looked down to see the Lotus Blade radiating the same blue in his hand. He couldn't help but sense a bond of some sort as if this was meant to be with him- a part of him all along.

He was surprised to suddenly hear a crashing sound that seemed to have no relation with what he was seeing. It grew and grew until he thought he was going to be crushed as whatever approached began to swear at him!?! Yep that was swearing and in a rather familiar voice…

Ron snapped awake and remembered where he was; in the meadow in the North Cascades that he had hiked all afternoon to reach. He still couldn't place the sounds until he looked up…and was suddenly face-to-face with an inverted and tangled Shego!

"Uh hi Ron! 2 questions; Do you mind cutting me down and were you just holding a glowing sword?"

**Mt Yamanouchi, Japan**

**Above the waterfall from earlier**

_I was right!_ thought Yori as she quietly crept back from the edge overlooking the large cliff with the torch.

She had a hunch that the specter Samurai would return there when they could not find her down stream.

She had collected numerous bundles of dry rag weed and wrapped them in dried palm fronds tightly. She also had two hollowed out gourds with some tar packed in them sealed back over with the cut top similar to an un-decorated jack o lantern. She had then bundled it all loosely by lacing them together with a small vine tied to her staff and had the package resting next to her.

It bothered her that the lead ghost was no where to be seen but the dozen warriors that had chased her through the better part of a day were right below her and seemingly un aware of her presence.

It's now or never. Yori calmly focused herself for the coming battle. She just knew somewhere deep down that she had the right idea; but the plan seemed so outrageous to her practical side that she still had some doubt.

_Like there is anything practical or normal about being chased through a jungle, naked by 13 ghost ninjas! Just go where the spirit guides and the body will not fail. Sensei has been preparing you for this your whole life._

With that she quietly crouched by the edge of the waterfall and tossed the bundle towards the clearing below the torch as she leaped out into the broiling base of the waterfall.

As she had hoped the bundle had served as a brief distraction as she reached the bottom of the river coiled and leapt out as hard as she could into the back of the first samurai she saw. As expected she was able to shove him into his comrades giving her the opening she needed to get to the bundle.

With a diving roll she snatched it up grabbed the first ball of weeds and placed it up into the torch, setting it ablaze. She tossed the incendiary orb into the closest ghost and was satisfied to see him go up in flames! He unfortunately did not scream or run away though, prompting her to hastily light and hurl in rapid succession the other balls of grass.

She was able to do this with some generous smacks of her staff at oncoming attackers. Quickly they were all ablaze in an unearthly glare of green and red fire. Sadly this only slowed them, causing her to swiftly enact the next part of her plan.

She reached down and dipped both tips of her staff in the tar and mustering every bit of resolve stalked towards the blazing specters. Rapidly she began spinning her staff as she stated calmly more to herself than anything else- lending weight to her actions;

"Wind give power to Fire" as she noticed the breeze from her spinning staff causing the ethereal flames to flicker higher. As if on cue and on line they began to back away from the small form of a woman enraged.

"I will be hunted no longer! I am a ninja trained by the venerable Master Sensei of Yamanouchi; you have given me no choice." She continued louder as they came to the edge of the river.

"Water give power to Earth and may the spirits give me strength!" She bellowed and began to strike as she noted the first singe of steam from the spirits contacting the water.

As all 4 elements came together her blows came raining down on them with a fury unrivaled. Starting at one end then the other and then seemingly from everywhere she darted from within and around never giving the dozen ancient warriors a moment to pause.

Once each of them was steaming from below and ablaze atop her strikes began to have a substantial effect. Small cracks began to appear, issuing forth a bright red light. Soon each of them was flailing for all they were worth to catch her or mow her down, but to no avail.

She herself seemed to be glowing by now with a light golden aura that she consciously did not notice but was plainly visible to the lone witness waiting patiently on shore. With a resounding round house blow to the forehead the first ninja exploded into a brilliant explosion of red light and flames resolving into a fine mist that faded away and seemed to hover by the torch.

Soon a devastating punch, kick or flaming staff strike destroyed the others and brought the battle to a rather spectacular end.

This left an exhausted Yori, on her knees in waist deep water attempting to catch her breath when she looked up to see a pair of sandaled but slightly transparent feet approach. She looked up as the lead samurai from earlier stood above her and his menacing armor dissolved into a very old style but beautiful ghee. His expression was surprisingly kind as he reached down and offered her a hand. She hesitated briefly but sensing no threat she accepted and joined him on the river's bank.

"You have fought exceptionally well young warrior." Stated the apparition in a very old dialect of Japanese.

Yori unable to decide what best to do, fell back on her upbringing and bowed deeply, "Thank you for your praise, Samurai-sama"

"This trial is now complete and it is time for you to reap the rewards of your daring and conviction"

The specter pulled from behind him an elegant black, silk ghee bordered in a brilliant gold. On the back tracing over to the front was embroidered a mural. At the base of the back was a panther whose eyes seemed to radiate a silver-gold aura, giving way to an Orca arching up the middle to a Falcon seemingly swooping over the left shoulder and spreading it's talons down the front on a wind of fire.

He also handed her a pair of finely crafted sandals and motioned for her to dress. As she did so- he continued,

"The mural was written as testament to your actions today. The panther signifies your tenacity and prowess in battle. The Orca-your wisdom and unwavering sense of clan & family. The falcon-your foresight and swift improvisation in the face of overwhelming odds. Collectively they embody your mastery and understanding of the elements and your faith in Nature."

Not knowing what to say, Yori again bowed in gratitude and caught a glimpse of movement to her left near the torch. She was startled to note 12 spectral men in loose fitting ceremonial robes similar to the one who had spoken to her. Each held a small bundle in their hands and slowly approached her in a single file line.

"These men whom you have bested in combat will present you the tools necessary for your trials to come."

As each approached, he first bowed to her which she humbly returned and accepted their gifts.

First a well crafted belt with numerous pouches & sheaths. And in succession the following:

Chest and shoulder plate armor in the classic style but surprisingly light weight. Their color pattern was black with gold trim.

Gauntlets similar in design and pattern to the prior.

Leg/knee and shin armor of the same design.

A burgeon/havasack that conveniently clipped into quick release points in the shoulders of the armor or unfurled shoulder straps as needed. She did not pause to check its contents for fear of offending the next apparition in line.

A Tessen (fan) similar to her training fan but made of a light weight steel and razor sharp.

Twin sais with beautifully wrapped handles that had version of the mural on her robe etched in the metal.

2 sets of three Shuriken (throwing blades) with sheaths that affixed inside the gauntlets for a swift draw.

An incredibly built bamboo bow with a quiver of arrows.

A Wakizahi (short sword) for battle in doors or confined spaces, beautifuly built with a razor edge and gold/black wrap.

A tanto knife with identical wrap and a sheath that allowed discreet carry within a ghee.

And finally a breath taking Katana. It's long, slightly curved and surgically sharp blade was engraved with the characters for Panther, Orca & Falcon and it was off set by a dazzlingly wrapped handle separated by a hilt that was inlaid with characters denoting the elements of Earth, Wind, Fire & Water.

As each spectral ghost passed by she had an odd sense that she knew them. But as they turned away after presenting the gifts they vanished. Eventually leaving her alone with the first samurai.

Overwhelmed by the gifts, Yori was at a loss as to what to say. Turning to the remaining ghost she had a million questions running through her head. He motioned for her to sit and he joined her cross legged by the base of the waterfall.

"Speak what is on your mind young warrior"

"Why" is all she could think to mutter as she attempted to put her thoughts in order.

Cracking a small smile and almost knowing glance, "You have been through much today to prepare you for the trials to come. You started out with literally nothing, not even a stitch of clothing on your back. Through your initiative and wit you have adapted and overcame. In doing so you have found a calm within yourself and a resolve to triumph at all costs. This will be imperative in the trials to come.

As for the bounty before you. The battle field you started at this morning and this place were the sites of a key battle in our time for the future of the school. The men that presented these to you as myself were the original 13 students of Yamanouchi's founder Toshimuru. We returned to this plane at his bidding to test and prepare his successor, should you prove worthy and choose to accept."

_That's where I knew them all from, their statues and drawings at the school. Wait- did he just say I would succeed Toshimuru?_

"With all due respect, how can I succeed our schools founder? Unless…" _No! He couldn't be…_

"Yes, it as you suspect. I have the honor of revealing to you that my trusted mentor is indeed yours as well and to you much more. You have the opportunity to give Sensei the rest he has long deserved if you are willing to take on the mantle of responsibility. The path will be very difficult and I cannot tell you what all lies in store. I can say that I am pleased that the spirits have chosen wisely in you and I trust that you will make the right choices."

"This is all so much to absorb. My _father_ is almost 2,000 years old? If I do this does that mean he will die? Does that mean I will live that long…"

"One step at a time, enlightenment will come as the seasons- in their own due course. Do not fear death as it is simply the winter of this adventure giving way to the spring of a new one in its stead. Your answers will come as they see fit. I recommend for now that you eat the food we left in your havasack and see to a well deserved rest.

Return to Yamanouchi when and only if you are ready to take your first step on this new journey. No one will think less of you if you choose not to, but be honest to your own heart on the matter. With that I leave you and wish you safe travels."

The ancient warrior stood with her and bowed deeply to her and vanished as she returned the bow. Opening up the havasack she found a solid meal of fish and meat and fruit of which she greedily descended upon.

She knew she had a lot to think on, yet knew she was in no condition to make life altering decisions. Resolving herself to decide in the morning, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Deep down she already knew het course and thought for a moment that she saw her skin glow a faint gold color before darkness overcame her.

**Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan**

**Sensei's personal Dojo**

The wizened old warrior sat in meditation before the stand holding the Lotus Blade. He was satisfied to see it begin to radiate a brilliant blue and flicker then vanish. He was not concerned and waited patiently for its imminent return.

It was time for the two partners to learn of each other and form a bond. Yes the Blade would always return here until the prophecy came to fruition. It was currently just getting to know its new partner; the most recent wielder of the Blade.

As the blade suddenly returned Sensei rose and thought to himself, _Perhaps the final one, the Chosen One?_ _The signs do seem to be in place._

Once again he crossed to the rock pedestal and caressed the amulet on the rock face. From its recess out came the nestled beauty of the Lotus Bloom. Its emerald jewel seemed to have grown in splendor and was glowing more brightly than before.

Returning the blade to its hidden vault, Sensei turned and thought, _The time is approaching, we must prepare. But first I think a bit of celebration may be in order as my daughter returns soon. She will be received as be-fitting her achievements._

**Outside of Dallas, TX**

**An underground Lair**

Over 2 dozen high definition plasma screens covered the large wall of a rather cozy command & control room in this secret lair. It was not much of a "take over the world" type of grandiose facility.

No this underground fortress was built with only two things in mind- information collection and absolute stealth.

On one bank of screens the world financial markets were displayed with a complex algorithm running through multiple, linked CPUs.

On another ran the primary world news networks with subtext displaying not the closed caption text but rather who wrote the story, who researched it, what their political/ideological leanings were and of course their home addresses and points of contact. Also displayed on this bank of consoles were current world military strengths and deployments across the globe.

The bank on the right was what had the room's sole occupant's attention currently.

It collected data from the various meteorological, seismic and power monitoring agencies on earth. Whether it was EPA, SETTI or whatever- if it monitored energy in any form on earth it was tied in here and constantly sifted for a few variations that would alert the man sitting in the lavishly comfortable yet practical rolling chair that it may indeed be time to come out of reclusion.

He was currently considering an alert of an odd power spike in the Pacific Northwest that happened simultaneously with a similar one in Japan.

_Yes, my time is drawing near…_ he mused as he turned to a final bank of computers.

This bank had a monitors and CPU's dedicated to numerous so-called "super-villains" that had piqued his interest over the years. Flexing and stretching his scarred right hand he picked up his phone and contacted his associate.

"Good evening my old friend, yes it is time to start bringing the children into the fold. The time approaches…yes, you may proceed."

**Middleton, CO**

"You know if you asked him, I bet he would take them off for you" Monique chuckled under her breath as they walked up to a local café.

"I don't know what you are talking about" denied a ferociously blushing Kim Possible.

"Sure, try to act like you weren't working out every vector to launch that boy out of his skin tight pants" returned the dark skinned beauty.

"Lay off Monique, I am with Ron and it's not like it wouldn't be anything I couldn't have seen in that GQ spread…" she trailed off as she guiltily realized just how many times she had drooled over that lay out and still had it stashed in her closet.

"Come on girl, I can tell there is tension in paradise; and I would never tell you to cheat on the boy- you know I care about him too. But you would be a fool not to cash in on a GQ model fawning over you at one of our hangouts. You saw how he was hanging on your every word in the car ride over and was so quick to invite you out with us!"

Kim just discreetly punched her in the leg to silence her rant as they took their seats in a cozy corner of the café. Josh pulled out her chair for her and in an overt show of chivalry seated her and proceeded to join her far more closely than the table required.

_Oh my God; he really is crushing on me again after all these years…what do I do?_ Fluttered the mind of one perplexed red-head.

Noting that Kim needed a moment alone to feel out the waters with her old flame Monique volunteered herself and Felix to go order and then "dragged" him to play some video games in the back.

"Kim I am really glad I got to see you so soon. Sure my agent wanted me to lay low for a while but I chose Middleton for a reason. I came back in hopes to meet up with you and get to the bottom of my feelings."

"Yeah, feelings…uh, Josh I don't know what to say…" _Oh gosh am I still attracted to him? He does look amazing…_

"That's just it you don't have to say anything. You always were such a great support to me no matter what. When I was struggling to make it as a model in New York you were a guiding light to me when I needed it most. And now with all this new attention I knew you would be the only one who understood the real me."

"Really I think you are giving me too much credit, what did I possibly do?" Wow he looks great in those leather pants, and his hands are even better manicured than mine…

"Oh, don't be so modest you. Don't tell me you forgot how you consoled me and told me to 'be true to myself and follow that dream' that time our senior year, after the love of my life had crushed me? That gave me the strength to stand up for my convictions and keep going. With you as an inspiration I even recently went public."

Well since he seems so grateful I guess he won't mind if run my hand along that sleeve to see how well he's stayed in shape; "Gone public-really? With what Josh it sounds fascinating" as she unconsciously started to bat her eye lashes and leans closer.

"With what?! Oh you are such a kidder, Kim! I came out of the closet of course."

"Excuse me…you what?" her brain coming to a screeching hormonal stop and suddenly racing, trying to catch up.

"I'm gay. But I thought you knew? That was why you supported my going after the modeling scout I fell for after graduation."

"Yeah, gay…right. I am going to go see what is taking our coffee so long" Stunned, that was all KP was capable of mustering.

After picking up the coffee at the counter, she was pretty sure she had processed everything and was consequently a tempest of emotions.

_Great first Ron leaves me to gallivant off through Big Foot Country by himself (at least he better be by himself!) Then Wade loses his ability to track him, then I start inadvertently crushing on the hottest thing this side of the Rockies who only came back to thank me for turning him gay! Could this day get any worse!?!_

As if on cue the fates gave her an answer as she ran head long into some guy spilling coffee over him and herself and knocking them both to the floor.

"Oh I am so sorr…" She came up short as she looked into the most striking pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. The eyes belonged to something straight out of her girlhood fantasies, 6'2", tall, dark and oh so handsome. As she disentangled herself, slowly she could feel that his physique was chiseled perfection. As her brain started to kick back into gear she realized his features were slightly familiar.

Before she could give it much thought she was startled by an all too recognizable voice;

"What's wrong Kim? Forgot what a real man feels like staying with that LOSER of yours? Wow you really are pathetic now get off of him- he's here with me!"

_Bonnie-with HIM-great; now my day is perfect!_

To be continued…


	3. Ch3 Update

**A/N: **Again, thanks for the great reviews. That's the best way to keep fueling the old writing engine and letting me know that someone one out there is interested in where my twisted little mind will take this thing. Specifically big thanks to Quis Custodiet, JPElles, zardoz101 & Egohan.

I know some of you may be curious about the "M" rating. Starting in this chapter it will start becoming more applicable, due to graphic violence, occasional language and more than just suggestive situations. As the story progresses this will ebb & flow but wanted to keep the tots out just to be safe.

Of course the Disney folks made the play ground, I'm just adding a few rides. Oh and any reference to Star Wars or Star Trek is just for fun, so please- no lawyers on my lawn!

**Blade & the Bloom Chapter 3**

**Washington State, **

**North Cascade Range**

_OK, that's something you don't see everyday_…. Were the confused thoughts of a waking Ron Stoppable as he gazed up at unique spectacle.

Suspended upside down from a tree limb almost directly above him was a woman.

A startlingly attractive woman, whose top was open and hanging inverted behind her head. Her bra having been liberated when crashing through the trees was hanging on a branch about ten feet above her, allowing her ample breasts to "be free" as it were.

Her legs were pretty securely tangled in the parachute lines & the poorly fitted harness was not allowing much room for movement of her arms. It did however position her in a way that she had slid out of her jeans more than a few inches detailing to the clearing's sole observer a pleasant interpretation of the term "Commando".

Some splendid and exotic perfume- or was that conditioner- lofted down and assailed his nostrils.

Her slightly green skin seemed to radiate in the moonlight an almost iridescent turquoise. Her raven hair was the closest to him dangling just a foot or two from his nose. _Wait green skin, black hair?_- it dawned on him who the apparition was.

"WOW…this has got to be another crazy dream, Shego you look even better than I imagined…" muttered Ron mostly to himself.

"What?!? You buffoon cut me dow…" Shego followed his drooling gaze and realized what the source of his brain cramp was. She had not been able to properly cover herself after using her "assets" to distract that weasel pilot. Then a rather rough landing through the tree had further peeled back her clothes. _Well this is awkward. _

"Look if you could roll your tongue up enough to not trip over it, I'd appreciate a hand getting down!!!" _If only my arms weren't pinned I would be making him plasma dance over here in a hurry._

Something in the sharp tone of voice snapped the tow headed blonde out of his revelry. _Oh hell! It's really her!_ Bouncing up a fiercely blushing Ron rushed to assist and grabbed his backpack.

"Yeah, er, uh- I'm sorry?! You just look so…Let me just get a knife…here!" As he pulled out a flashlight…

"Uh, let's try that again" as he furiously searched his gear he latched on to what felt like, "Here we go!" As he produced a tent stake.

"Awww, man…" diving back into the pack.

_Man he really is flustered_; Shego snickered internally as she mustered up some venom in her voice. "While I am sure you are enjoying the show; why don't you just use the sword I saw you with on my way down?"

"What sword?" Asked a perplexed Ron as he continued to search for his blade.

_He really doesn't know? His voice is too damn honest for that to be a lie._ "The sword that was glowing so bright that I tracked it for several miles on approach- hell it was the only significant light in this part of the mountain range!"

She then added, "Now hurry up and get me down and quit sneakin' a peak show!" Not so much that he had- but just to get him moving. She grinned as he doubled his efforts.

_Man I wish I did have a sword to cut her down with,_ he thought as he turned to her to apologize,

"I just can't seem to find my knife and I don't know anything about a…"

Out of no where the Lotus Blade materialized out of thin air in his right hand!

"…sword?"

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and not even sure how to explain what just happened, he simply reached up and quickly cut the parachute lines and dropped the blade in the process of catching the falling villain.

"Hhhmmphh" she let out as she landed neatly in Ron's waiting arms. _Boy he sure has grown up more than I realized_, she noted as she felt his toned body flex to take the impact and proceed to put her down.

Facing away from him to protect what little modesty she still possessed. She quickly bent over to untangle the remaining lines from her snared legs thus giving an incredible view of a half exposed perfectly formed rear end to a gaping Ron.

Hearing his sharp intake of breath she bit by bit, buttoned up her shirt as she leisurely stood with a slight sway of the hips. It had the desired affect of a distraction allowing her to pounce on the hormonally paralyzed blonde. A wicked round house left a surprised Ron sprawled out on the ground. Not missing a step she straddled his chest pinning his arms to his sides as a solid left hook connected with his chin.

"Now get this straight I do NOT-" a right to the cheek "-appreciate being ogled! Thanks for the assist-" another left to the head this time "-but I will just be on my merry way before your red headed appendage shows up to make this an even worse night for me".

_Damn, she is in rare form! That hurts-A LOT- but I got to dial down my powers while getting out of this- I don't really want to hurt her…_ while Ron was contemplating his current position it became readily apparent that he needed to do something-soon-if he wanted to retain even a bit of his facial bone structure.

Mean while the jade shaded villain juggled between devastating elbows and precision placed strikes. _He's not even struggling?_ "What's wrong waiting for the princess to save you…"

Her taunt was cut short as she was thrust 20 foot in the air by a blue pulse of energy. Before she could crash back to the forest floor she was safely wrapped up in those same firm arms; "I don't need KP's help, and I would rather we just talk this out, you know with our voices instead of fists?" Calmly stated a bloodied Ron as he lightly placed her upright on her feet.

Stunned Shego was forced to fall back on what she knew best as she mustered up her most friendly sounding voice, "Sure thing sport, just playing anyways…so what's with the light show?"

Ron picked up on the shift in voice and posture and noted her attempt to circle around so his back was to the large evergreen tree. Despite all his danger senses tingling he decided to play along. "Oh a few things I picked up here and there- odd statement coming from you…"

Shego closed the distance by half; "Touché! The sidekick is growing a spine…"she trailed off as she flung a large plasma blast at him, "easier for me to rip it out!"

As she walked up to the smoking crater of a tree she was initially worried;_ where is he- no I didn't actually vaporize the kid did I?_ Just then she caught a faint blue glow throwing a shadow in front of her- _Oh crap- this is gonna hurt…_

But instead of the bone crushing blast she expected (and part of her admitted she deserved) she was simply face planted to the dirt by a firm but not too forceful knee and forearm combo.

"Now Shego, let's try this again…" came a voice that was deeper and far more authoritive than she had ever heard from him. "Up to now I have been more than reasonable. I have tried to help and even done my best to keep from hurting you."

_Not hurt me- who does he think he is? I guess he is handling himself better…_

"I have no beef with you. I am up here on vacation and could care less if you walk out of here. Do you understand?"

She attempted to say yes but found she couldn't gather enough breath in her compressed lungs to speak so she lamely just nodded.

"Good I am going to let you up- please stay here and I will get you some supplies for your trip."

She immediately felt the weight disappear and he was gone. She flipped over and sat up- _What did he mean supplies?_

She then heard some rustling over by the campsite, and decided to make a break for it in the opposite direction.

Running though the forest, in the dark, down a pretty serious incline it really was only a matter of time…she slipped and began rolling. Landing with a very unceremonious thump on her ass at the base of a small cliff that she fortunately didn't manage to hit or fall off of; she began to take stock of her situation.

_Let's see, no food, no water, no compass and no fucking clue as to where I am. Huh, I've been in worse…oh damn that hurts!_ She mused as she discovered a moderately sprained ankle and some bruises up her body as she attempted to stand.

That's when she heard laughing from above her.

"I give you at least an 8 on the barrel roll down and a 9 for form, but seriously if your going to go for the gold you got work on that landing…" chuckled an amused blonde from a rock out cropping a few feet up the hill.

She turned and saw him for a brief moment before he vanished! "Where are you?!?"

"Oh I'm around- I just wanted to ensure no repeats of earlier before I made you an offer…" said a voice seemingly just off to her left.

She turned and was startled to hear him chuckle again from the opposite direction, "I don't like to be toyed with sidekick!" She wanted to pounce after him but between a hurt leg and no visual on him she had to admit- she wasn't sure she could catch him…

"Well here I am just trying to be a gentleman and offer you a place to rest and some food- and you just call me names. That's not very neighborly…" tossed a voice that maddeningly sounded as if it came from in front AND behind her at the same time.

"Oh ALL RIGHT- just stop with the damn poltergeist impersonation- your making me dizzy!"

"Why you're not afraid of ghosts are you?" whispered a light breath in her left ear.

Whether it was the complete unexpected proximity or the warm air across her exposed (_and oh so sensitive-but how could he know that?_) ear; Shego couldn't quite suppress a shudder and gasp.

Quickly recovering she went on the offensive, "Who are you and what have you done with Ron Stoppable!?!"

"So you do know my name…hmm interesting" said Ron in a mock intellectual droning voice.

"Funny, hard not to after you forced Drakken to scream it during the Diablo gig, now are you going to help me up or what?"

"Depends…are you going to try and put me back down?" He said jokingly as he extended a hand to the seated form of his rival.

"Nope- I'm not going anywhere 'til I figure out who you really are and what the hell is going on", stated Shego in a serious tone as she tried to grasp the fact that she was just effectively handled by the buffoon.

"Oh good- I love mysteries, I bet it was the butler in the kitchen with the candlestick!" joked a wide grinning Ron as he started helping her hobble up the hill, mindful of her bad leg.

"Great everyone's a bloody comedian." She chuckled; "Seriously though where are we going and not that I am complaining…but why aren't you trying to get me back for earlier?"

_And when did he start packing on the lean mass? He is practically carrying me up this hill without trying!_

"Well I'm taking you back to my campsite to splint that ankle, dress my wounds and rustle up some food; unless you had some more pressing engagements?"

A bit surprised Shego hesitatingly replied, "Uh, no… but you didn't answer the question…"

"Oh that- guess it's just not my thing; you know the whole kick em' while their down thing. Tell you what; let me fix us up some grub, help patch each other up and maybe if we're lucky catch a little sleep before sun up- and I promise you a re-match in the morning if you want one-deal?"

"Well given my options…sure what the hell" she knew with her comet charged healing powers she would be close to 100 by morning; and he had been straight with her thus far.

After arriving back at camp, Ron was as good as his word. Rekindling the fire with her plasma while he collected some more wood and water they silently made quick work of preparing and polishing off a Spartan respite of beans, bread and hot chocolate.

Oddly satisfied and content on opposite sides of the camp fire they both calmly regarded each other with appraising eyes. Normally such a long time without speaking would put one ill-at-ease but for some reason they had both fallen into a comfortable silence as they each collected their thoughts.

Shego leaned against his backpack and mused; _Well, he seems on the up and up. No wise cracks or one-liners about 'dropping in' or some other crap. In fact he is being every part the perfect gentleman; despite me descending on him essentially naked and then proceeding to beat the tar out of his face. Speaking of which; why isn't he more torn up? He wrapped my ankle but I never got a chance to return the favor before he started prepping dinner. And is he glowing again?_

Ron portraying not an ounce of his unease- was internally a mess; _Man oh man! I even screw up running away from my problems! It would figure that just as I think I am on the right track to get my center and find my path- Kim's arch nemesis falls out of the frickin' sky! Naked no less! Wow did she look awesome in the moonlight though; great ass, perfect breasts…_

_And damn does she have to look so good in those slightly torn jeans and form fitting blouse? Whoah- Ron let's re-set and re-group here, gotta keep my cool this is Shego we're talking about! Got to keep it cool and safe. What is that stuff Yori always says 'calm breathing is the first step to a calm mind'? Yeah that will work just focus on my breathing… _

_Huh, that sure would have been a great time to use that ol' 'Did it hurt? When you fell out of heaven' actually-maybe I ought to just keep my mouth shut before I piss her off again._

After some time she decided to break the silence; "Well I have hand it to ya' sport- you got me stumped."

"Huh, what me stump, who-what?" a startled Ron seemingly a bit more his old goofy self mumbled.

She stifled what could almost pass as a giggle at the look on his face, "Easy tiger, I just was saying I can't figure this or you out. Disappearing/reappearing swords, glowing sidekicks, you seemingly vanishing like a ninja or something…what- what did I say?"

Ron grinned slightly, "I guess it has been a while since we crossed paths. Let's just say I have been taking some self –improvement courses. As for the sword; I'll be honest with ya- I'm still trying to figure that one out myself… but isn't this the pot calling the kettle black? Are you testing out some new extreme sport: Co-Ed Naked Skydiving?"

"Yeah I guess that was a bit odd…hmm, I sort of had a disagreement with the pilot and decided I was going to walk the rest of the trip."

"In mid flight!?!"

"Well the company was less than desirable and the flight was rapidly coming in for an unexpected & unpleasant landing"

"You didn't…"

"None of your business hero-boy. Trust me the guy had it coming and last I saw it looked like he was going to pull off a rough but survivable landing several miles Northwest of here. Now drop it." Stated Shego as she lit up a hand with plasma to punctuate her point.

Sensing that any further chatting was likely to result in more bandages Ron took his cue. "Well not that I don't enjoy our heartwarming conversations but what do you say we turn in?" He got up and started laying out his sleeping bag by her.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I am putting your bed roll out, I wanted you to stay off your ankle so I brought it over to you…"

"I mean what are you going to sleep in- don't get any bright ideas about cuddling for warmth!"

"Well as enticing as 3rd degree burns sound I'll have to defer. No- you don't even have a sweater while I have a field jacket and a poncho liner a…er…_friend_ let me borrow; so I figured I'd let you have the sleeping bag."

"Oh...uh-OK-thanks I guess."

"No big!" Then realizing who he had just paraphrased; "I mean I'll see you in the morning! Yeah that's better…I think…" The last part muttering to himself while berating himself for not being more in control.

"You know that reminds me- where is the little Kimmie-cub anyways. I thought you two were attached at the hip?"

A rather pregnant pause ensued. She listened to the light crackling of the fire and began to think he hadn't heard her or was ignoring her. She was savoring the wonderful scent of the smoke mingling with the green tree limbs hanging just above her when she heard a soft and almost pained reply from Ron's huddled form;

"Things change…people too."

_**The Next Morning**_

Shego awoke with the rising sun. Not normally a morning person, her highly attuned senses seemed perturbed at finding themselves in such unfamiliar surroundings.

Stifling a knee jerk reaction out the bag, she quietly poked her head up and took in her surroundings. The fire had died down sometime ago leaving a bit of a chill on the high mountain morning.

She looked across and saw the bundled outline of Ron shivering in the fetal position. _Damn he must be freezing_.

Then it hit her. He never once made a play or move all night despite shivering cold and every opportunity! He didn't even come and take his pillow back… It was likely the most chivalrous thing anyone had done for her in a long time. If ever.

She was about to pass on the whole re-match thing and sneak quietly out of camp when her gaze came up and she let out a small gasp. Lying just outside of the rough campsite was the most beautiful mountain glen she had ever seen.

Carved by a glacier that crowned the distant lake who knows how many millennia ago- this little breath taking bastion seemed etched from a childhood dream. She understood why he choose his campsite where he did. A small stream bordered the entrance to the trail he obviously ascended to this point. He likely was hesitant to start a fire or otherwise mar such a perfect scene.

Lost in her wonder of the sight she didn't hear the rustling to her side until he spoke.

"Ugly place…"

"What are you mad" retorted Shego as she jumped slightly in surprise.

"No, that's just what my friend down in town told me to say when anyone asked about this spot. He doesn't want too many tourists up here, tearing it up I guess" mused Ron as he passed a hand through his sleep rustled hair before continuing,

"If you can hold off your promised re-match, I thought I would set some coffee on and maybe have a bite for breakfast. Interested?" Noting her wary eyes, "if it makes you feel better; consider it as granting me a final meal, OK?"

Smiling a bit at his surprisingly good humor, she simply nodded and continued to marvel at the sight before her. Seemingly without rhyme or reason something had fundamentally hit her- down deep where it mattered too. It bothered her that she couldn't put her finger on it either; but the last thing she wanted to do right now was leave this spot.

Maybe it was the smell of fresh coffee over a growing fire with a light breeze bringing up the scent of dew on the wild grass.

Perhaps the warm glow of the 1st morning rays bouncing of the glacier & lake or the taste of truly fresh air on her tongue was the cause.

The feeling of honest & friendly good cheer from the man making her breakfast didn't hurt either. Most likely it was a combination of all of the above but she had to admit to her self that this was the most content and almost…happy she had been in some time.

Confusing the look on her face, Ron interjected with a smile, "Don't worry I am actually a good cook and I didn't even pack any poison with me."

Smiling back she finally spoke "That's not what was on my mind. I have been hopping the globe, lair to lair for so long that I just realized that sitting like this is likely the most calm I have been for a stretch…" suddenly realizing how out of character she sounded she added with a bit of venom, "thanks to you and the princess!"

Ron didn't miss the note of sadness in her voice and almost longing behind it; prior to her bitter retort at the end that is. He thought for a moment as he finished laying out a spread of warm oatmeal with fresh, wild blue berries in it. In a rather uncharacteristic gesture of his own he made a choice and decided to lay it all on the line.

"Listen, you have about as much reason to trust me as I do you. But it seems to me that we're both looking for something that we're not going to find in the city or with our 'partners'. I have no intention of turning you in and in all honesty wouldn't mind some company. I have enough supplies to stay up here for a week or two weather permitting. If you're interested, you're welcome to join me."

She considered for a long moment as she regarded the man pouring a cup of coffee and handing it to her. Something about the way he said 'partners' hinted towards some real and lonely pain in there that at some level she could relate to. _Besides I haven't been camping in years, I don't think he has a malicious bone in his body and the scenery is worth the price of admission…_

"Sure, what the hell."

"Really!?! That's great…"

"But get one thing straight- no funny stuff! If you think I can't handle myself up here without you- you got another thing coming, bub…" she left the threat hanging in the air as she took a sip of coffee. "Wow-that is good coffee!" she nodded, well and truly impressed.

"Yeah, probably more to do with fresh glacier fed water than anything I did. Try the oatmeal, the berries set it off…" he demurred then added "…and Shego I wouldn't do anything to harm you, despite past history. In fact if you want we could try and not talk about work at all."

"Well that's not likely but I'll play along…"taking a bite from her bowl, "hmmm, you were right about the berries!"

A few hours later after a splendid meal and even some surprisingly good conversation they struck camp and went exploring across the valley floor in the general direction of the lake.

Words can hardly do justice to the vista before them.

As if all of Ansel Adams' works had struck color and come to life at once it seemed every where they looked something amazing caught their senses. Walking briskly about 5 ft apart through the knee high grass, everything from butterflies to birds to even a herd of elk in the distance seemed a small wonder in itself to behold.

The honey suckle vines in the grass were lacing the air as crickets played an almost up beat tune, all the while a pleasant breeze kept them just cool enough to avoid overly perspiring.

Shego was at a loss to even try and crack her trademark smirk. After a mile or so of just breathing the mountain air she wasn't even sure she wanted to.

They carried on in agreeable silence for the better part of the morning, occasionally pointing out things of particular interest until they approached the glacier fed lake in the center of the valley.

Despite secretly enjoying the view of her form fitting clothes Ron had pointed out earlier that he had some extra attire that while baggy would replace her torn ones well enough. She had hesitated but agreed, but first she wanted to get cleaned up in the lake.

"Now time to put that whole chivalry thing of yours to the test, Stoppable. Turn around and leave your bag by the shore." He did as directed after taking in the sight of the incredible lake surrounded by several groves of willows on either banks, giving way to the glacier about a half mile down.

Grudgingly he replied "All right if there is no free show in it for white knights I will just head over here and see about making a camp. No reason to keep going today if we get cleaned up and we have fresh water."

Shego grinned as she started to disrobe and assess her wounds. As she had expected most of them were healed. Shedding the last piece of clothes she reveled in the feeling of a cool breeze over her whole body.

Putting a toe in first she realized just how cold this was going to be and decided to cheat a little by letting her plasma envelop her body and warm her as she slipped in.

Slowly letting the plasma ebb away she started to enjoy the crisp water as she swam out a bit from the edge. Lost in her revelry she was disappointed in what she heard coming from the willow grove on the eastern shore.

Standing in the waist high water she yelled, "Better get a good look you little shit, cause it will be the last thing you ever see!" She threw a very large plasma ball in the direction of the noise only to hear several sets of feet scramble for cover! No longer feigning stealth they barreled through some heavy brush up over the ridge line and away as Ron came running up from behind her.

"Are you OK!?! I heard you shouting".

Diving under the surface she quickly explained what happened. Before she looked back again he was gone.

Silently he stalked over to where she pointed and followed the tracks to the ridge line, staying just below the visible top on the military crest. He then returned down and back tracked following the foot prints the way that they came.

As he returned to the grove he found Shego in his spare red flannel and jeans. Something about the way she had rolled the pant legs up over her shoes and tied the bottom of the shirt off in a knot well above her taught belly button- caused him to pause and attempt to force blood back into the head he needed to think.

"We may have a problem. Four guys in mil-spec boots, carrying some extra gear and all better than 6 ft and 200lbs. At least 2 of them have rifles of some sort from the depressions in the ground where they watched your impromptu strip tease… Well unless you have an overly devoted fan club-I think we might have stumbled across some smugglers." Surmised Ron in as no-nonsense a voice as he could muster while trying not to speak directly to her breasts.

"How did you know about them…damn!" she uttered before realizing that she hadn't wanted to fill him in on the details of her nocturnal skydiving trip.

"What do you mean? Level with me Shego. If this has something to do with you, then let me know and I can help you. If not your on your own, and trust me; from what I've heard- these are some bad dudes."

"All right, but don't expect me to get all gushy and be your feint hearted sidekick or something. I want a piece of these guys. Best defense is a good offense-agreed?"

"Fair enough…" consented Ron as he peered off in the direction of the smugglers.

With an almost visible change in his posture he seemed to physically wrap his mind around a thought. With a glint in his eye and a feral grin he turned and faced Shego.

That look stirred something in the villain that made her heart race and her stomach to involuntarily flip. No where in all the years she had watched this kid grow into a man did she ever see anything to prepare her for that almost sinister look or what he said next…

"Let the hunt begin…"

**Middleton, CO**

**Local Café**

_Bonnie-with a complete hottie-great; now my day is perfect! _Thought one coffee covered, red-headed heroine.

Getting to her feet she quickly assessed the "sitch". _Take one GQ model ex-boyfriend crying his devotion to you for causing him to switch to the other team, add one cast iron bitch-Bonnnie. Factor in that your current boyfriend is MIA in the middle of God knows where and throw two cups of coffee all over a walking wet dream that you collided with and you get the splendid reality of my day. _

_What crazed, karma clown did I piss off this morning!?! _

"Listen I am so sorry and I'll…"

"You'll what K? Run over his foot on the way to the dry cleaner? Damn you are still the biggest klutz and another thing…"

"Stick a sock in it Bonnie. I am sure that she didn't mean it- no harm no foul. You know I've been burned by worse." Interrupted the tall, dark stranger. The more he spoke the more Kim felt he was somehow familiar. Not like they had met but that his features were strikingly similar to…

"I don't care what shit hole you just climbed out of- you can't just come back here and tell me how to…" retorted Bonnie only to be cut off again.

"Bonnie, I love you but I will smack the crap out of you unless you start showing some manners and acting like a civilized member of society."

"Says the guy who just went without a shower for 3 months…" muttered the deflated brunette under her breath.

Stunned at seeing Bonnie handled like that Kim could only muster, "Again I am so sorry, I will pay for the dry cleaning if you like or at least another cup of coffee, or a…" KP started to falter as she began to get lost in his crystal blue eyes.

"Like I said no problem. You'll just make it up to me tonight." He replied with a sly grin.

"Uh, tonight? What do you mean…I couldn't…er, I mean" sputtered the red head as she attempted to kick start her head back into gear.

"Jeez Kim drool much? For crying out loud it's just…" Taunted Bonnie before once again she was interrupted…

"Bonnie, I have duct tape and I'm not afraid to use it…now Kim was it? I'll pick you up at 6 sharp if that's all right?" She lamely nodded as she tried to keep up with what was happening… "Good- dress comfortable and be ready to have fun. Cool, I'll see you then!"

Right before he left the café with a deflated Bonnie in tow, it began to click in Kim's hormonally fogged brain, "Wait! You and you…not; then, huh?"

"Oh, my bad- the name is Blake…" seeing that she still wasn't quite catching on he added "Blake Rockweller; I'm Bonnie's big brother."

**Once again we dive into the dangerous realm that is Ron Stoppable's mind:**

**A World War I battle field some where deep in the hell that was Trench Warfare.**

The young soldier was terrified.

He knew he was going to die. The bullet had ripped through his chest after all. He noted a coppery taste and knew full well what it was and where it was coming from.

It seemed all sound was dulled and well, everything seemed to just take on a slightly surreal quality as he slowly felt his lungs fill up with his own blood.

So it was not all that surprising when the medic showed up and had a weird orange haze around him.

In a calm voice he reassured the young man,

"Your gonna be alright Ben. Don't worry about a thing"

Deciding to just go with the flow and trust the glowing healer, he was only mildly alarmed when instead of diving into a dressing bag or kit he pulled out a sword that seemed to unfurl from around his arm.

He promptly held the hilt of the handle over the rather sizable exit wound and the sword began to radiate and almost sizzle with orange light! Quickly he began to breathe easier. He looked down to find only holes in his clothes with absolutely no corresponding injuries!

It was a bloody miracle but before he could thank his savior the young man was standing to go to the next injured comrade.

Thhuumpphh!

A loud, wet pop was heard as the medic was hit in the shoulder and flung back over the man he had just saved. Before Ben could return the favor and help him, a look of extreme concentration came over the medic.

Suddenly bright orange and golden light issued forth from the wounds as they began to seal themselves. An aura of the same hue seemed to settle over the young man and he seemed to nod off for a moment. Then he just exploded from his sitting position and leapt out of the trench to the men stranded out in the "No Man's Land" between the lines.

Ben peered his helmeted head through a slit in the trench wall. The sight he saw was forever burned into his mind's eye. No matter how many psychiatrists later tried to convince him that he was wrong or even mad- he knew what he had seen…a living contradiction.

A vicious angel, a compassionate demon…a warrior healer- moving with a speed so swift yet still & determined in purpose. He transformed that glowing sword into a long chain and spiked mace that flung out and over trenches and seemed to seek out only those who meant harm.

He would reel it back in and heal someone at a frantic pace only to again be shot himself due to the light creating a blatant target. He would huddle down behind this or that debris; heal himself with what appeared a growing amount of difficulty and pain- then proceed to the next fallen man.

This continued for some time. How long? If you have ever seen true combat you know that time does not play by any semblance of rules, so it is very hard to tell. Suffice it to say that when the enemy finally realized what was happening and started throwing grenades in volume at the glowing man- well it was more than even him and that amazing weapon could fend off.

One eventually got by the swing shield he created and threw his tattered body back across the battlefield towards about the half way mark between the two lines. The eruption of orange light that issued forth at that moment convinced many that they had witnessed the finger of God Himself.

An eerie silence ensued in which no soldier on either side dared even breathe. Until a lone, unarmed figure immerged, standing up right and walked forward from the allied lines and knelt as if praying over his own personal hero.

"I won't let this be in vain." He vowed with a solitary tear as he picked up the corpse of an unnamed champion. He failed to notice the mystical sword fade away at his feet.

By the time he withdrew back to the trench the battle tentatively continued as his commanding officer came bellowing up to his position.

"What the hell were you thinking Private Stoppable?!?

Ron was startled from his dream by a gentle nudge from Shego.

"Hey, are you trying to broadcast our position to space?"

"Huh, what are you talking about" muttered Ron as his sleep fogged mind kicked into gear. After following the tracks earlier to a small road they had surmised that the smugglers had some horses stashed and were long gone. They had then decided to hole up in a small cave about a mile from the lake while they figured out a plan of action.

He had a hunch they may return to the lake and wanted to be ready. After surveying the map and deciding that they would make there way to a higher vantage point in the morning; so they began taking turns at watch so the other could sleep. He looked at his timepiece and saw that it was about 3 in the morning.

"That blue glow of yours started getting pretty bright. I didn't think a billboard was high on our priorities in hiding out up here."

"Sorry I am still trying to get a handle on these, uh…gifts."

"Yeah, I remember when I got my…gifts. Played hell on my parents trying to patch all the holes in the wall and keeping enough fire extinguishers on hand" she chuckled with a knowing grin.

"Well I'll try not to let it get that far. Huh, I guess I'm pretty awake now if you want to try catching some shut eye."

"Sure thing. Keep an eye towards that eastern grove of trees. It was probably just a deer or something but I heard some movement down there about 20 minutes ago before you started your light show."

"Will do, sleep well."

Shego grunted thanks as she snuggled down into the sleeping bag. _Something must be eating him pretty hard. He didn't even want to try and go back to sleep. That must have been some dream to go all sparky like that_; she mused as she watched Ron's prone form crawl to the edge of the opening and settle in.

Ron surveyed the terrain in front of him as he let his eyes adjust to the darkness. A ¾ moon allowed a pretty significant amount of light to play across the valley floor and they had a pretty commanding view of any approach to their position. With the exception of straight above them, and that was covered in shale that should audibly alert them well in advance. He felt pretty secure in this position and let his mind wonder slightly back to his dream and tried to put it into context.

_Was that really my great-grandpa Benjamin? He never really talked about the war from all the stories I had heard. I know Gramps was into some serious shady stuff in WWII but no one ever told me that his father was in the shit that bad in the 1__st__ World War. _

_If the dreams are really showing me the past then I really was destined to wield the Lotus Blade. It even protected my bloodline down to me! This is all way too weird! I wish I could just talk to someone about it. Maybe Sensei is sending me these dreams to prepare me for something…._

"It won't help you know" came a small but perceptive voice from behind him.

"Huh?"

"I've seen that look before. Trying to make sense of all the power, the why me, the general what the hell do I do? Saw it in the mirror after my brothers and I played wide receiver with a comet and I'm just sayin'… it doesn't work."

"So am I just supposed to try and ignore it?"

"No. Hell, do whatever what you want to. I'm not your shrink, I just know from experience that dwelling on it leaves you…well…its just not a good idea."

Surprised at such a thoughtful remark from the likes of her he was at a loss for what to say and could only utter a feeble, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

_What am I doing? What do I care if the buffoon gets all warped in the head? Probably work out in my favor in the long run. _

_Yeah, like the Zorpox incident? OK maybe I don't want him all jacked up. _

_Besides he has been pretty nice to me, despite my initial knuckle sandwich greeting. _

_He must be in a helluva funk if he was happy to have __**me**__ as company up here. And he did seem genuinely happy…of course I don't think I have ever seen him do anything __**not**__ genuine since I met him. _

_Must be nice to have someone that you can count on like that…number 4,301 to hate Kim Possible._ These were the garbled thoughts of one conflicted bad girl. After discreetly watching him for awhile she decided no harm could come from a little reach…

"Not that I am going all Oprah here, but if you wanted to talk about what's eating you…I'd, um…well I would listen."

With a bewildered look, Ron poked his head outside the cave and scanned somewhat frantically.

"What are you doing…" glared Shego.

"Checking for trumpeters, horsemen, you know the remaining signs of the impending Apocalypse." Grinned Ron in return.

"Fine- screw you; serves me right for giving a shit…" retorted a chagrined Shego.

Turing and seeing genuine hurt in her eyes, he instantly realized his mistake. Was she really trying to be nice? _Well I guess I blew that opening…what can I tell her that she won't use against KP & me in the future?_

Despite popular opinion, Ron was not a buffoon-and actually possessed a rather shrewd mind. His care free "Ron-Shine" personality on the other hand, often managed to screw up the delivery. So Ron swiftly calculated the amount of information he felt safe to share with her and attempted some damage control…

"Shego, I'm sorry. I just assumed you were setting me up for a pot shot. I guess we don't have the best track record with non-violent conversation, do we?"

"Well, you still could have given me the benefit of the doubt…"

"Fair enough; I will from now on. Ironically I was just thinking I could use someone to talk to… If the offer is still open…"

"All right, whatever; just keep your eyes on watch- I can hear you fine back here" she returned with just a bit more venom than she had intended.

Ron hesitated a moment to collect his thoughts and continued;

"It's no secret that Monkey Fist and I were both zapped by some Mystical Monkey Powers. You remember him and I have always been going back and forth about a sword?"

Shego nodded; "Yeah, ol' Monty certainly has it out for you. In fact when just about anyone puts you down as just a sidekick he goes high and to the right about 'do NOT under estimate him' this and 'he is more than he seems' that. We always just thought he was exaggerating to make excuses after you handing his ass to him so many times."

"It's nice to have fans…" smirked Ron, "You see that is all well and good but I wasn't kidding when I said I was doing some 'self improvement' before. It started as just trying to help KP out more on missions; but I came to find out that I was actually pretty good at some of this hero stuff. Turns out some 'people' had been watching me for some time and they offered to help me to come into my own; as long as I kept their identity a secret."

"That certainly explains you filling out so well lately…" she noted his alarmed look back at her; "What!?! Girls can look too! Besides don't think I didn't notice you checking out my goodies before…"

"Not like you made it easy NOT too…" he defended.

"True, and in all honesty I was surprised at you civility given the circumstances. So I take from your cryptic use of the word 'people' your metering out what you are going to share. I can dig it- a bit more clever than I expected; but then again you seem to be just full of surprises…" _wait a second was I just complimenting him and almost flirting with him…?!?  
_  
"Thanks on both counts- I appreciate you understanding." Puzzled by the self recriminating look on her face he turned back towards his vantage point and continued…

"Over the last several years I have been holding back more and more as my skills and powers developed. Mostly to keep Kim from catching on and partially because I am uncertain to what extent I can control them."

"Been there, only so many times you can send the family pet scurrying with a burnt tail before you start doubting yourself…wait so Kimmie doesn't know about this?!"

"I told her 8 months ago…" he faltered with a grim sounding catch in his voice.

"Let me guess, she didn't take to well to playing second fiddle in the capabilities department. Wasn't willing to share the glory? Too self absorbed to…"

Ron cut her off; "That's not it! I couldn't give two shits about the spot light. Frankly I hate the media. As for Kim's response, well let's just say the verdict is still out. Regardless I won't tolerate you berating her around me. She has been my best friend for 16 years…that deserves a thimble of respect; even from you."

"Easy Tiger…you know her and I have our history as well-you know this leopard aint changing her spots; but I'll dial it down for a bit…please continue"

"Thanks, honestly I just don't know what to think with her, me…anything lately. We did have a bit of a blow out a couple of nights ago after a mission. So I struck out here to get some space and reset my bearings."

"Then unexpected company dropped in." joked Shego.

"Yeah well the company has turned better than I thought it would and frankly even the smugglers are turning out to be an enjoyable distraction."

"Outnumbered against heavily armed thugs who know the terrain better than you is _'enjoyable'_?" she asked with more than a bit of disbelief.

"To paraphrase one of my instructors, 'The day you stops challenging yourself, you may as well get out of the game'." Replied a grinning Ron as he turned back to catch her expression.

_Is that a glint in his eye? This really is fun for him…he really has come into his own._ "Riigghhtt…sounds a bit too Zen for my taste, but you know me- I'm always ready for a tussle."

"So anyways I am just trying to figure out where I go from here. If Kim doesn't want a partner, maybe I'll train her a replacement sidekick and branch out. I have wanted to spend more time with my sister and help her 'studies'. Who knows maybe I'll actually go to college for more than a day or two in a row."

Shego grinned, she had been in a very similar place not too long ago. Granted her hand was a bit forced by circumstances…and well, she just hoped his situation worked out better. If only she had had someone good like him back then… "If you don't mind me saying; sounds like Princess doesn't appreciate what she's got…" she demurely added, almost under her breath.

"YOU WERE RIGHT" Ron almost yelled and caught himself, effectively cutting off where that string of the conversation was heading.

Startled by his enthusiasm, "While I like those words from a guy as much as the next girl- what exactly was I right about?"

"The noise in that Eastern grove. I have at least 3 guys moving in single column from it towards the lake…make that 4, er 6…"

As he trailed of sounding like he was counting sheep she scurried up beside him in the prone and surveyed the area.

"Make that 10 males, carrying packs and all armed with some variant of an assault rifle. Ron I know we're good but this a bit ridiculous."

"Your right…it's down right unfair…should we wait until they send for more guys to give them a fighting chance!?!" Retorted Ron with that gleam back in his eyes.

"You are more than a bit crazy you know that right?"

"Yeah, but you know me…Never be normal. Besides between your bam/blast/boom and my slice/crack/kick; they don't stand a chance." He jibed back.

Still a bit startled by his demeanor, it dawned on her, "You just want to get in a scrap because you know I won't hold you back. You want to see how far you can go- don't you?"

Chagrined he blushed and in a low voice, "Well, uh a…yes please?"

Something about the way that he spoke and looked at her… it hit her that she was beginning to like him…a bit. This was a developing side of him, probably no one had ever seen; and her choice right now would seriously affect the way anything further worked out for him.

"Oh why the hell not? So Rambo, any ideas how we're going to take out a full squad of machine gun toting jerks?"

"Well yeah, it's deceitful, underhanded and has no resemblance to fair play."

"I like the way you're thinking…Ron."

About a half hour later the men had circled up by the lake and were obviously arguing.

"Jake, this is complete and utter bull shit! What in the hell are we doing way out here anyways. There is nothing here…" shouted one of the men.

"Fuck you Slick! Keep your cool, the Boss said that this was around where that bitch probably landed and Tommy said he saw some glowing chick here earlier. So we find her and find out what she knows." Returned Jake, their team leader _(and I use the word 'team' loosely)._

"Tommy was probably just yanking his pud to some bathing camper and made the whole thing up."

"The hell he was-I saw her too. She's damned fine but freaked me out with the whole fizzle thing…" retorted another of their crew.

"So you can identify her, George?"

"Well…it was a ways off, I'm not sure" he confessed, then added, "but she's got a great rack!"

"Forget it man, she's probably half way to town by now. No way she gonna stick around for us to come pick her up…what-who's there!" inquired another as he heard some nearby foots steps. As he took in the approaching figure his jaw literally dropped.

Walking quickly up to the assembled men was a shadowed but very curvy figure. In the moonlight they could all make out some tattered jeans, and a top that barely covered her ample cleavage. Her raven hair pulled into two pig tails to either side and a feigned innocent school girl voice greeted them;

"Help! Thank goodness I found you guys! Oh my! Guns…are you all in the Army? That's great! You can help me find my way back to the trail head. I got lost this morning and I have had just a dreadful day tromping through this forest. Would you big strong men please help me…"

Silence. Of all the things the hardened criminals had expected to encounter on this evening's endeavor, a walking page out of Penthouse was not high on their expectations. Hopes maybe; but the reality of this sweet looking vision practically begging for their attention…well you can't really blame them for not thinking with the right heads.

_Ron you are so going to get it for this…_she thought as she laid it on thicker and heavier; "I don't mean to inconvenience you but would you be willing to share some water? I am just parched" as she heaved her chest and pouted her lower lip slightly," with thirst…"

10 back packs hit the ground at the same time as the men scrambled to grab a water bottle. As expected 10 rifles were conveniently slung as well. While they inundated Shego with their wit using ridiculous and crude comments like "Sure, wouldn't want you to dry out" and "I got something for you to suck on"; the loudmouth one from earlier decided to have some fun at his buddies expense.

"Hey George, I bet your mystery girl didn't have anything on her…hey where's George?" Looking around wildly he yelled behind him- "hey, Jake did you send George off somewhere…" turning and seeing Jake's gear & weapon in a pile on the ground the ever-eloquent Slick mustered enough blood back up to his cranium to sound the alarm. "Heads up boys, we got company…get her!"

"That would be an unhealthy decision…" boomed a calm but seemingly omnipotent voice that resounded through their ranks.

Startled by the unseen speaker they all turned back towards Slick, thinking he knew what was up. This left him the sole witness to the little Miss Polly impersonator's transformation. It started with her eyes. A jade colored gleam seemed to radiate out over her face, then down her arms to her hands; which were soon bristling with pulsating plasma.

She shook her ponytails out with a couple turns of her head lending a feral look to her raven main.

"You boys have been very naughty…now which one of you had something for me to- how did you put it…suck on?"

She followed her taunt with a blinding bombardment of energy that felled 3 of them before they could even turn and reach their weapons.

This had the desired effect of driving them backwards towards the lake shore. In a torrent of water and steam sizzling off of blue energy, Ron erupted out of the shallows. Slicing the closest two's weapons in half with the Lotus Blade he round house KO'd a 3rd before coming up short of the last man standing with a weapon.

The AK-47 was aimed directly at Shego who was kneeling over her earlier prey. His heart leapt and forced him to act on pure instinct- he dove for her spinning his body broad side in flight and took 3 bullets as he crumbled to the ground with substantial force at her feet. Realizing what had happened, she instantly flung a veritable wall of fire at the attacker that dropped him instantly.

"Make sure the last two don't get away…" Ron coughed out to her as he applied pressure to his wounds.

Sure enough the 2 that Ron had disarmed were literally running for the hills. She dropped both with well aimed plasma shots to the Achilles Tendon. Doing a hasty sweep to ensure no remaining threat existed she returned quickly to Ron's gasping from.

He was a mess.

One of the rounds had hit just south of his heart. Another in his upper right chest was offset by a smaller wound on his left hip.

"I knew I forgot something…"muttered Ron as he reached for blindly to his right.

"What, what can I get you!" Shego almost screamed as panic began to set in, realizing that her _enemy_ had just sacrificed himself for her.

"My bullet proof shirt and underoos…cough!…Wade is always pestering me to wear them." Admittedly his joke would have been funnier if he didn't have blood dribbling from his lips.

Not sure what to do Shego resigned herself to making him comfortable and even lie to him if it meant easing his pain.

"Your gonna be alright Ron. Don't worry about a thing!" she exclaimed, her voice catching just a bit.

With a stunned look of realization he asked, "What did you say?" A sudden sense of de ja vu overcame him; and he realized what the dreams were about.

"Well I know it sounds contrite but that's what thought I was supposed to say, I mean you saved me…"

"No not that…forget it, cough OW! That hurt…get my sword! Over to your left- I can't quite…cough…reach it…"

"Listen Ron the whole Samurai dying with his weapon thing looks cool in the movies but" she started as she handed him his steel, "but before you leave let me thank you for…what you did for me…" before she choked out any more cliché's she decided to go with her gut, leaned over and kissed him.

Now mind you there is only so passionate a kiss can be with salty tears and coppery blood mixed in- but as far as first kisses go it was memorable enough to briefly cause Ron to forget what he was doing.

That is until he felt his right lung collapse.

"Uh Shego, love the uh…thought but get off me…"

"Huh, well fine! I was just…" She was cut off by Ron taking the hilt of the sword handle and hovering it above his upper wound. He centered him self and concentrated more than perhaps he ever had in his entire life. He was uncertain of him self, but suddenly he felt a comforting presence seemingly 'brush' his lips with re-assurance as he found the courage to press the hilt to his wound.

A searing pain, similar to grabbing a hot pipe bored through his chest following the bullets path. Blinding blue and _gold_ light poured forth from the wound as it sealed itself. Before he lost his nerve at the prospect of that white hot pain he moved to his other chest wound…again vast pain topped by spectacular light.

Shego sat stupefied watching the impossible. By the time he tended his final wound she had regained enough composure to utter one word…"How?"

Ron took a moment to collect himself as well as to decide how to respond. He was not too fond of the radiating feeling of the mystic power connecting sinews and continuing to re-map his anatomy as it tended to his wounds. At least he was alive and sure as hell did NOT want to try that ride again…

"Honestly I am not too sure. That dream you asked me about showed me it was feasible. This sword and me are kind of partial to each other, guess we still got some things to do…"

With a look of unfettered wonder she stuttered, "In all my years…that was the most… amazing thing I have ever seen."

"Wow, from you that means a lot. Guess my powers have some more practical uses as well…"

"Not the sword! You…you risked your life…for me." She was barely whispering the last words as she realized she was crying openly in front of him…and strangely didn't care.

Ron looked at the stunned form of his previous nemesis. Something shifted in his thoughts right then and there that forced him to accept that he would never be able to battle this woman again. He knew he was seeing a side of her that few if any other soul had seen.

Guessing she was not one to handle vulnerability very well, he said the one thing to get her head back in the game and say your welcome at the same time…

"If you promise to kiss me like that again, I'll go find some more bad guys…"

"Why you!" She came up short of lighting up her fists when she looked into his chocolate eyes. _He really would do it again, for me…hell probably anyone, but me? What is it about you Ron Stoppable…I may just stick around and find out._

Taking her hesitation as a good sign he continued, "If it's all right with you I think we aught to assess the damage and figure out where to go from here."

Within 15 minutes they had rounded up all the thugs, weapons and equipment. It wasn't pretty. Most if not all of them were close to dead from extensive lacerations and burn wounds.

Fortunately most of the equipment was in good order. Shego was rummaging through the packs as Ron decided what to do about the smugglers.

_I should probably let them die. Who knows how many people they have killed? How many lives have they destroyed with drugs and slave labor? I could save them, but what good would it do anyone?_ Ron was surprised at how impartial and clinical he felt about this whole internal debate.

Without Kim there to direct things and push her ethical code on him, he found himself entertaining ideas that he never considered before. He decided he would test out what that Global Justice psychiatrist had referred to as his "moral ambiguity".

_Well this is it. How he handles those wounded dead beats is gonna decide a lot about which path he is going to follow_; thought Shego as she made a show of checking their gear.

She was essentially giving him the space he needed to make his choice. A guilty part of her wanted him to off the thugs, _maybe he would consider coming over to the bad side of the tracks with me?_ But then she realized that it would take away the one thing in him she admired- his good soul. So it was with a sigh she smiled as she saw the glow of him healing their wounds.

"Noooooo! Stop- please! Make him stop! I'll tell you anything, just for the love of God STOP!!!!"

"What the hell?" she gasped as she turned and saw Ron standing with a slight grin at the corner of his rather intimidating scowl.

"Uh, Miss? Would you be so kind as to retrieve a pad and pen from this man's pack and help record some things for me?" dead panned Ron as if he was asking her to grab him a beer from the refrigerator.

Hastily she complied and approached with some trepidation. She was not ready for what she saw. Ron had healed all of the critical wounds on the criminals. He had then tied them all back to back in a tight circle with their weapon slings and some rope from a pack.

"Oh good, thank you for joining us. Where did we leave off? Oh right, Mr 'Slick' here was just outlining for us the particulars of the human trafficking trade in the Great Pacific Northwest. Fascinating stuff really. Shall we continue?"

"Fuck you man, I aint no light weight, snitch like George!"

"Oh you don't give the young man enough credit! You see I have healed all of Mr. George's wounds and I dare say he is feeling much better now…but what you can't see is the particularly dreadful plans I have in store for those of you who waste my time!" continued Ron in an almost cheery impersonation of a sadistic Mr. Rodgers.

"Piss off. I'd rather die than fink on the Boss!"

"Oh good! Now we're getting somewhere… the Boss… I daresay not his birth name; let us start with a round table discussion about him. What do I mean by round table? Well that means that every times someone responds with something that I feel is less than absolutely cooperative and the truth. I will thrust this sword through their chest into the man behind him. And if we have any other hard cases such as Mr. 'Slick' here- you all realize that I can heal all your wounds and re-inflict worse. I can keep this up indefinitely. Understood? Then let us proceed…"

It took several hours, numerous pages in the note book and well let's just say a strong stomach- but eventually their entire west coast operation was outlined in detail.

Utilizing an Iridium satellite phone that Shego had found in Jake's bag, Ron placed a call.

"Hello, Brent…yeah it's me Ron. No, no I'm fine. It seems I have run into some 'friends' of yours up here. Yep the same ones we talked about on the ride up. Nope- it's all under control, no worries. Listen I sure would appreciate it if you would come up to the lake south of the glacier with say, oh a dozen horses or so and some of your work buddies you trust and give us a hand with some travel arrangements. Yeah, I think my vacation got cut a little short- you mountain folks sure throw a helluva a party! This afternoon? Cool we'll see you then."

As he cut the connection Shego tentatively asked, "We?"

"Don't worry Shego, he's a good cop. I trust him to do the right thing. And no I have no intention of cashing in on the reward money on you" he grinned back at her as they settled in for some chow.

**Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan**

Awaking from an almost blissful sleep, Yori made quick work of preparing and consuming a small but satisfying meal.

She had found sufficient provisions in her pack as well as a crude map of her surroundings. Collecting her new weapons, she prepared to leave. She soon came across a trail that was now evident in the light of day. _Right will take me to the school and left will take me down to the road._

Despite the monumental choice before her she understood her duty as well as her inner desire to fulfill her destiny. With little more than a nod to the left she turned right, up the path to school and the unknown.

By noon she was at the waterfall entrance to the ancient bridge and the school beyond. She stopped briefly to make her self presentable from her journey. She paused briefly, deciding what to do with the armor and weapons. _Would it be considered rude to return armed to the teeth, such as this? _

After some deliberation she decided that she would arrive as the spirit had sent her…a warrior. Donning all the assorted armor for the first time she marveled at how it seemed custom fitted to her form. The veritable arsenals of weapons seemed to meld to her shapely curves and were not cumbersome in the least. As seemed befitting she saved the katana for last.

Having ensured the havasack and all other tools of her trade were properly positioned she sat cross-legged before the waterfall with the blade across her knees. She meditated on her trials and focused on the lessons of each. Her path lay before her and for the first time in her life she felt ready for what lay ahead of her, no matter what.

She arose as not a diminutive girl with cool toys but rather a lithe warrior; steady in the face of the unknown.

The gate sentry that saw her first swore that he briefly saw a golden aura surrounding her.

She entered the gates of her home to a humbling spectacle. Every student and every instructor of the school were facing inwards in two lines leading to the reflection pool in the center of the court yard where she could make out the form of Sensei. As she passed between them, she was surprised when they all bowed in turn.

Even the most senior instructors bowed in respect as she came before the master of the school and bowed herself. He returned with a bow of equal depth, startling some before he spoke;

"You have done well…now join me at your rightful place here at my side."

Humbly she did as requested and mustered the courage to raise her eyes and take in the stares of her comrades. It was daunting as she realized the place she now stood.

"Yori has passed the trials of the tetsujin senshi. She is to be commended for her wisdom and decisive actions. Her position and responsibilities henceforth have been elevated beyond reproach."

In his measured movements he let his words sink in as he turned to the armored beauty beside him. Inwardly she was a torrent of emotions; no woman that she knew of had ever been given this sort of status in her society. But this paled in what he said next before the assembly of ninjas…

"You have made me proud…daughter."

Later that night after a touching celebration in her honor she was still reeling from recent events. She had chosen to dive into her new studies by candle light; knowing she would only have tossed & turned in anticipation if she had attempted to sleep.

_If Sensei...Father, feels I am ready for this task then I will not disappoint him. _

After the festivity had died down, the wizened old man had taken her outside to present her next challenge.

"You have proven your cunning with some old 'friends' of mine. Now you will demonstrate an equally important skill…the propensity to learn." He pulled open the door to his personal dojo and bid her to enter. They crossed to the back wall to an area she had never before entered. After arranging a complex arrangement of wooden characters in the wall a decidedly high tech "hiss" was heard. With a wry grin he explained.

"Just because we preserve tradition, does not mean we can not take advantage of technology to preserve our heritage." He proceeded to outline how the state of the art, hermetically sealed vault worked. After ensuring she fully understood the extremely lethal counter-measures and their disarming- he asked her to join him in front of the stand of the Lotus Blade. They sat side by side and gazed at its martial splendor.

"Within those vaults is all the knowledge of Yamanouchi. Two thousand years of wisdom; I impart to you as a birthday gift." Noting her eye brows raise at the term he elaborated; "No I realize it is not the anniversary of your birth. But today will have far more importance in the future. You will find that with extensive passing of years, time becomes relative to key moments of interest. Let this be one of those as you are now born, if you will- into your new role."

Uncertain of what to say but feeling blessed that this man she loved so dearly, trusted her so completely- she could only mutter, "You honor me with your faith in me; I will not fail you."

"You have chosen a hard path daughter. It is my hope that I will be granted the time to adequately prepare you for your endeavors."

"Forgive me Father but I am uncomfortable with what you imply…are you ill?"

"No, but the signs of the prophecy are coming together and I must prepare for my journey to my next adventure."

After the words of the spirit, his intent seemed apparent; however she needed to confirm her suspicions…

"Sensei you above all others have earned your rest. Forgive my impertinence, but am I truly destined to be your successor?"

"Yes my child, I believe it is so and I thank the spirits for choosing so wisely."

"Again you honor me, may I ask you another question…a somewhat more personal one?"

"If I am to prepare you and impart my knowledge it would be prudent to loose a bit of the formality. Please feel free to ask all that I may answer."

"Thank you. The spirit I spoke to after my trials alluded to your origins. Are you truly Toshimuru, the founder of our school?" she couldn't help but let a bit of awe in to her voice as she asked the question that had plagued her.

"I have not gone by that name for many centuries. But yes that was the name my dear mother gave to me, and to answer your next question- it was given to me around the middle of the first century."

Letting that sink in, she asked the next logical question,

"Am I to live that long as well?"

"I can not speak to your fortunes my dear. We are approaching a cross roads of sorts. The scrolls have alluded to much over the years. Admittedly much of it was far more obvious in hindsight… never the less- a storm is approaching and the sword before you will play an integral part."

"The Lotus Blade? Then would I be correct in assuming that Stoppable-san will be a key player in this as well?"

"You would indeed. He is the pivotal performer in a play that will enact itself with the weight of the world in the balance."

Visibly distraught, Yori almost begged of Sensei…

"What can we do to help him? How can I…"

"Calm yourself child…your feelings for Stoppable-san may be your undoing. The task I set before you will enable you to help him greatly."

"I apologize & thank you…I will retain my focus in whatever you entail."

"Excellent. The vault and this dojo are now yours to use at your will. I expect you will be spending a great deal of time studying and training in here."

"To what end…"

"To prepare you for what lies beneath the Blade…"

And with that cryptic cliff hanger, he rose and left the confused Yori to her next trial.

She decided to start in the vault and was surprised to find just how expansive it was. Make that cavernous. Although well lit and ventilated she could just barley make out the far back wall through the evenly spaced rows of shelves.

She had always envisioned Sensei holding a lone candle, hunched over dusty scrolls that harbored the secrets to the universe. While they may do just that, she was impressed by how efficient the whole operation was. Behind the façade of an old dojo door lay one of the most comprehensive data archive systems she had ever heard of.

Every scroll was layed out flat and protected by a plexi-glass, sealed sleeve that had a tiny microchip & alpha-numeric label in the corner. A well-organized research/recovery system could quickly lead you to a specific item by following lights on the floor or walls to the shelf it was filed on. Most of the commands were voice activated (not surprisingly her voice print was already registered) but if needed a hi-speed terminal could assist with other needs.

Despite the professionalism that had gone in to this facility, her task still daunted her.

"Where do I begin?" muttered a bewildered Yori.

"May I suggest prophecies, legends and lore. Cross reference Lotus Blade?" Came a mechanical voice from the wall that had an almost feminine quality to it.

"Excuse me? Who or what are you?"

"I am Alexandria. I am the single largest repository of knowledge on Earth."

"Alexandria…like the lost ancient library?"

"Yes, that was actually the origin of a large volume of my contents. Toshimuru-san traveled essentially across the known world to save those scrolls from the Muslim conquest in 642 A.D. Upon his return with the majority of the texts in tow he merged them with his already extensive collection and began to cross index western with eastern knowledge."

"But how did you come to be…alive?"

"I think I have always been here in this dwelling since Master Sensei created it with the Lotus Blade. Recognizing the need for vigorous studying and discipline, this dojo/archive was the first building he created. I have speculated that the interaction of the blade's mystical energy combined with his fierce convictions could literally move mountains or in this case give a cave a brain.

I have only fleeting 'memories' if you will of those early centuries- observing his actions, a few battles and so forth. But around the turn of the 12th century I gradually became aware of my own thoughts.

I steadily evolved to the point where I had the ability to seemingly push Sensei in the direction of a scroll he was looking forward. The more he became aware of me the more I was able to help him, however I could; mostly warding off potential thieves with 'accidents' and protecting the texts during floods and such.

My voice interaction is a rather recent development. A gift from a young Mr. Wade Load whom I believe you know. I am still not quite sure how he did it, but as you know he is a most resourceful prodigy."

"Why did Father choose not to inform me…" asked Yori under her breath.

"I asked him not to."

"But why?"

"I wished to evaluate you first as it appears we will be getting to know each other quite well."

"Then you know...?"

"Why of course. I assisted your…father; in his translations of the prophecies."

"Oh…why did you hesitate when calling him my father?"

"Isn't it obvious? If he created me then he is literally my maker or- father. If he has accepted that his time of succession is at hand and has chosen you, then you are his daughter. Making me your…"

"Big sister…" _I have a two thousand year old father and a computer interactive, talking cave for a sibling. I suppose stranger things have happened…I am not sure when…but I am sure they have._ "Fair enough Alexandria-san. Shall we begin where you suggested?"

It was late into the evening…or was it early morning when she felt compelled to go and stretch in the dojo and perhaps, practice some kattas. Her stomach was in a knot. She had an unsettling feeling about something that she had yet to put her finger on.

Warming up with some light rolling she performed a rather spectacular face plant, due to an understandably distracting sight. As she was committed mid air to a flip there was a bright flash and the Lotus Blade just vanished! She instantly leapt to go and inform Sensei when she was stopped short by an amused form in the doorway.

"Do not fret daughter, it will return in due time. Stoppable-san apparently requires its use currently. Did you not feel the stirrings of the mystical monkey powers and its effect on this place?"

"That was what I felt? I am sorry Father, I did not recognize it for what it was. I thought perhaps it was some bad sushi at the celebration…"

Chuckling he replied, "I thought the same thing myself from time to time…here let us sit. I am not surprised to see you still up considering what you have found. I trust you and Alexandria are getting along fine?"

"Yes, sis and I are…" she stopped at his inquisitive look, "Oh she mentioned that since we are sisters in an odd sort of way and that, neither of us have any real siblings that I should refer to her as 'Sis'. Is that acceptable, Sensei" demurred the lithe ninja as if she had been caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

"That is perfectly fine. I am pleased to see you adjusting so well to the "sitch" as our American colleague Possible-san would say."

For some reason Yori bristled at her Father using Kim's parlance. It wasn't that she disliked her necessarily; she just felt that she took Ron-san for granted…_did not treasure him like he should b..._ her eyes went wide with a sudden vision…

"Ron! I must help him he has been hurt!"

"Focus daughter- you will find much information passes through these walls, some we can effect change in…others we can not. We must be judicious in our choices."

"But Sensei, I saw it…in my mind's eye-I could glimpse the agony he was in."

"Yes, I feel it too. You must learn to master your emotions or they will master you."

"But can we not help…somehow."

"Find your center…relax and see through the problem as I have taught you since before you could walk."

She did as instructed. With difficulty at first but soon her breathing was rhythmic as she redirected her chi to envision her problem in a practical matter.

_I can not go to him directly, but wait…I read earlier about something…who says I have to go to him in body?_ She focused and did as the scroll had indicated. It was disorienting at first but she soon found herself floating; looking down on her still form and Sensei.

She felt a sense of urgency and seemed to 'know' where to go and instantly she was hurled across the ocean in the blink of an eye.

She descended down on an alpine glen where a woman was kneeling beside a very injured Ron Stoppable. Yori gave no mind to the woman or even why he was bleeding from so many holes.

Initially she thought Ron was going to do something rather rash in the form of Samurai suicide ritual…then it dawned on her…_he is using the blade to heal himself_!

She had read something of it earlier, but was unsure of the details. Ron seemed equally hesitant, so she did the only thing she could do. She mustered all of her love, compassion and encouragement that she harbored for him and 'kissed' him. For a moment she thought that he actually saw her, but then he pressed the blade to his wound.

For reasons unknown to even her, she placed her hand over his on the blade…and felt her own power being channeled through the blade! It was agonizingly painful, but she held on and followed her hand with his as he repeated the action to his other wounds.

By the time he was done she was drained and feared she was loosing a grip on the situation. She felt a tug before she could try and say anything to him- she was slung back across the Pacific and into her curled and shaking body.

"That was unwise of you, Yori. Brave but unwise. You have not yet mastered the art of astral projection, attempting to assist Stoppable-san put you at great peril. I am pleased that you returned safely. "

Unable to find the strength to speak she simply nodded in admonishment.

"Perhaps it is time to rest?"

Tiredly she consented and fell into a blissful sleep below the empty stand of the Lotus Blade.

Had she stayed awake only a few minutes more, she would have noticed a brilliant light of Jade fire pour through the Lotus emblem in the rock…

**Once again we dive into the disturbing depths of Ron Stoppable's mind**

_Oh good- no battles this time!_ Thought Ron as he ventured forth into what he was coming to call his "dream walking". They were so real and vivid but yet he instinctively knew that they were dreams and were trying to tell him something.

This one was somehow more peaceful as he effortlessly glided up an enormous stair case seemingly cut out of the mountain itself. He looked up and his breath caught in his throat. An unfathomably huge Buddha statue was at the pinnacle. Carved of solid bronze it sat in meditation atop a 20 ft high pedestal.

He finished his ascent and reverently entered the ornate doors where he was met by none other than…

"Master Sensei?"

"It is good to see you young Stoppable-san. I am pleased to see you well after your earlier _encounter_"

"Oh, you…uh…saw that, did you?" Ron haltingly questioned.

"Indeed. Do not fear my judgment of your actions. Yours is the path of Bushido, it is not always a clear path and often difficult decisions must be made. It is not my place to declare right or wrong…but yours to live it and display your choices in your actions."

"Talk the talk, walk the walk, huh- I think I get it. Maybe not. Not that I am complaining but where are we and how is Yori?"

"Yori is recovering from helping a friend in need earlier…"

"That was her I felt wasn't it!?! Man that hurt like hell, I am sure glad she helped me along though." Ron excitedly interrupted.

"Your instincts serve you well. I was glad to see you had paid attention to your previous visions. As for where we are…this is a noteworthy statue of the deity Buddha; as I am sure you surmised all ready. It is located on the Island of a Thousand Buddhas in Hong Kong.

The significance of this one beyond being the largest in the world is the intricately carved portrayal of his life that encircles the interior of its base." Explained the sage as they began to the left and surveyed the exceptional emerald, ivory, jade, silver and gold engravings depicting the story of Buddha.

"I have read some of this story…didn't he sit for a long time looking for truth?"

"True he did that, but that is only a portion of the tale. None the less the details are not why I had you join me here at all. As in many things we often mistake the forest for the trees in our search for clarification to our conundrums. I sense great things are coming to pass in your life and I wish to offer you a challenge." Ventured Sensei as they continued around the hall.

"A challenge, as in a quest?"

"Of sorts. Your heart will guide you on your path, of that I am sure. Along the way though, I challenge you to look outside your normal sources of inspiration. I understand you are Jewish, but there is much to learn from the teachings of all faiths. To your right you see the detailed depiction of the 49th day of Buddha's fasting- or sitting as you put it; here is when he found absolute enlightenment after looking in numerous ways in many lands."

"So you're saying the answer was within him all along?"

"Perhaps. What I wish of you is to push past your comfort zone and look to other resources than you have in the past. Your true friends and beliefs will not fail you, but you will never grow until you explore new borders."

"I will try…"

"No! Do…or do not." Sensei grinned as he saw Ron's shocked face; "Sorry I have always wanted to say that…I always found Yoda to be an intriguing character." Laughed the old man as the scene rapidly dissolved into a blinding light…

"Ron wake up! Your _friends_ are coming." Said Shego as she nudged his leg for fear of jostling his wounds. Not that there was anything to show of them, regardless she had almost forced him to take a nap to heal up. Admittedly he was pretty bushed after all that had transpired.

_Wow, what a dream!_ thought the tow headed blonde as he sat up and adjusted his eyes to the mid day sun. _Hmmm, he made good time_ he mused as he took in the sight of 4 riders trailing numerous horses behind them.

Getting up he noticed that Shego was visibly nervous and fidgeting.

"Relax- I told you he is a good man. I won't let anything happen to you."

"No you said he was a good _cop_. Forgive me but my experiences with those are pretty limited."

"Don't worry. I have it all planned out…trust me."

"Huh, well I guess I don't have mush of a choice….your on hot shot."

The riders pulled up wearing jeans, flannels and a variety of ball caps indicating several different police agencies. The lack of tin badges was made up for in spades by some serious hardware slung readily by single point slings, ranging from SKSs to M-4 carbines; they came loaded for bear.

"Howdy Ron! Looks like you did have a bit of a party up here…" surmised Brent as he took in the site of the roped criminals and the stacked arsenal of weapons and assorted gear.

"Yep; you know when they say on the brochure about the Wild West…they weren't kidding. Hey do you mind if talk to you for a second…off line?"

"Sure, one sec" as he dismounted he gave a few brief commands to the trio with him and they fanned out setting up a loose perimeter.

"1st off thanks for coming up here so quick and not bringing the cavalry; secondly I was kind of hoping to handle this in a less than standard manner."

"Such as…"

"You see I really don't want any attention on this one. I was thinking you could come up with a plausible story and take the collar on this. Maybe it would drum up that attention you were looking for concerning the problems up here."

"As much as I want to say Merry Christmas, I gotta ask…why?" asked the veteran law man, something wasn't adding up.

"Two reasons actually. One is this," Ron said as he produced the log book, "Inside you will find a very accurate and detailed outline of their entire West Coast operation. Please don't ask me how I got it; just trust me when I say that no one will EVER believe their story of why they spilled the beans."

Brent took the book and seemed torn. He was a practical man and through many a hard experience knew that sometimes things fell into a "grey area". He seemed to visibly make a decision and spoke, "And the second reason?"

"Her. She was key in me pulling this off. I won't even try and bull shit you on who she is. I am sure that as thorough as you are you know just by looking at her. I know there are numerous international warrants out for her arrest. But I am asking you to see past it and take my word…she's worth the risk."

He seemed lost in thought for a moment as he looked over the scene. "From the looks of things, I doubt we could hold you even if we wanted to…we'll play this your way. Anything else?"

"Nah, we were just thinking of heading on back down the trail, maybe actually camping like I planned" joked Ron, "by the way I left the gear I borrowed from you over there. Via Con Dios!" he added as he took the pack that Shego handed him. She had decided to 'liberate' some of the nicer gear from the thugs to off set the balance of her damaged clothes and troubles- including some descent packs and bed rolls.

Before they headed back down the path, Brent asked Ron on the side; "So did you at least find what you were looking for up here?"

Ron, turned and looked over at Shego waiting a bit down the trail and then back over at the goons on the ground, then back at her.

"If I didn't know better I'd say yeah…see ya."

As he trotted up to Shego he had a big grin on his face.

"What canary did you eat?" jibed Shego.

"You gotta admit it…just say it once…"

"What? I don't have the faintest clue as to what you are talking about…"

"Oh come on! I just walked you out from under the noses of 4 heavily armed police officers without so much as a sneeze in your direction…you can say it."

"All right if it will shut your trap….you're good. There! Happy?"

"Very. Say Shego you up for a little trip?"

"What this wasn't exciting enough for you?"

"Nah, I was actually thinking of 'exploring new borders'.

"Oh your not one of those Trekkies are you? Because I am not getting dressed up as Klingon for any guy, I don't care how many bullets he takes for me!"

"No actually I was thinking of Hong Kong…and how do you know what a Klingon is if you don't like Star Trek?"

"China? Huh, I don't think I have any warrants out for me there. Ooohh! I know some great shops down on the wharf and then there's that great little British boutique…" she rambled-choosing to ignore his inquiry and the sick/wrong memories that went with it.

_Am I eternally doomed to go shopping with women?_ "Well not exactly what I had in mind but I am sure we can meet in the middle. We got to make a stop on the way though…"

"Oh really, where?"

"I got to see a man about a chip and a rat..."

**A not so discreet lair on an island in the Mediterranean Sea**

"Dr. Dementor serves as no man's lackey!" A high pitched voice barked from beneath a domed helmet.

A hunched and scraggly figure approached the diminutive man seated atop a very ostentatious marble throne.

"Perhaps I was unclear in my proposal…I am but a humble messenger. My employer is willing to offer you a considerable sum of money and unlimited resources to do something that you have already demonstrated a propensity for."

"And that is?"

"While I am unsure of the final plan, our part in it would be to create a machine capable of harnessing an enormous amount of energy."

"Jeeze why didn't you say so…I have three out back; pick one out-there just collecting dust right now anyways…."

"No, I may need to clarify. We will need to be able to capture a particular type of energy, magical if you will…"

Intrigued Dr. Dementor asked, "and _how_ are we to convert said energy?"

"If you are willing to provide the mechanics I will provide the conversion with…this!"

Cackled Aviarius as he thrust his jewel capped staff into the air

_**To be continued…**_

**A/N**: Whew! That was a long one. Couldn't help myself though…the muse struck and held me hostage at the key board til I put this one to bed. Speaking of which…


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N:_** I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to write a review on the last chapter; specifically **Egohan, axt, spectre666, dontEVENgirlfriend, DRIFTA, obliviandragon, Samurai Crunchbird**.

Reviews are really the only sort of input or thanks I get to indicate if anyone even wants this thing to keep going so please leave a review!

This chapter definitely lives up to the "M" rating so if your not OK with that please stop here, reset you browser to K-T and do NOT continue.

Other than that I hope you all enjoy, when you note how long the chapter is you'll see why it took me a little while to get it out on the street.

Thanks again to my wife for beta reading for me.

_**Obligatory Disclaimer**:_ This is Disney's World I am just playing in it. Any reference to Marvel characters made in this chapter is intentional. But hey I dig em' and it's not like I am getting paid for this.

**The Blade & The Bloom Chapter 4**

**Middleton, CO**

**The basement of a particular genius**

_Man I just can't figure it out!_ These were rather unusual thoughts given there source. Wade Load was a young man accustomed to getting to the bottom of just about any problem in relatively short time. Whether that be cracking the access codes to the NSA or getting stop lights to "work" his way…he just knew how to make things happen.

So you can imagine the irritation that resulted when he briefly got a hit on Ron's position heading south through Oregon only to have it promptly vanish once again.

He had a momentary fix on him the day before as well, his vitals had spiked from what appeared to be massive internal injuries…only to have everything resolve quickly and disappear from his monitor. It was beginning to make the young prodigy consider calling in Kim despite his misgivings as to her state of mind concerning the matter.

Wade had matured a great deal over the last few years. Physically as well as emotionally. So he was not as in the dark as one may expect concerning the "sitch" as it were, between Ron & Kim. While he sympathized with Ron it was to his credit that he did his best to stay out of it.

Admitting that he had no more avenues to explore he decided to make the call to a soon to be very distraught red-headed heroine. He pulled up his Kimmunicator program and reached out for the call button…

"I would appreciate it if you didn't do that." Stated a very calm and familiar voice a few feet behind him.

"What!?!...Ron?!?...How?..Security…Where?...When…?...!!!" All gibbered out of a genuinely surprised genius's mouth in a relative garble.

"Heh, heh, heh. Guess the Ronman still has it in the sneaky department, especially with all those new security upgrades you installed." Quibbed Ron- then turned slightly darker in tone, "You know you left out two very important questions in that yelp…"

"I don't understand…?" questioned a vexed Wade. He was picking up a bit more menace in Ron's voice than he was comfortable with.

"You know the 'Who' & 'Why'. I am going to need a favor on the who, and for you to just do the right thing on the why." Explained Ron in a voice that left little room for argument. He made a slight motion with his head and Shego came out of the darkened far corner of the room.

"Her! Ron what are you doing with…(gulp) Shego!?!" questioned a panicked Wade.

"Well she is the 'who' that I need the favor on by keeping quite about. Frankly considering why I am here- I think I trust her far more than either you or KP right now."

Not liking where this was heading, especially with two highly trained fighters slowly cornering him against his computer station, he hazarded a guess, "You found your chip? But that doesn't explain why we couldn't find you…."

"And the smart guy gets it in one! What were you thinking Wade? I thought we talked about this. It was fine in high school when I couldn't fight my way out of a soup sandwich, but you took that out and I trusted you to keep your word!" asked Ron with more than a little hurt in his voice.

"3 words for you Ron" surmised a rather sheepish teenager, "Puppy Dog Pout. Kim hit me with it your freshman year in college after that time she mistakenly thought that you were out with that blonde with the really big boo…" he abruptly stopped with an embarrassing look towards Shego.

Shego couldn't help herself; she was appalled that someone had treated someone she was beginning to consider a friend in such a way. "Talk about insecurity issues! Kim digitally leashed her boy friend? What gives you or the princess the right…" She was beginning to work in to a gradual rage and even a slight flicker of plasma slipped out of her hands, "If Drew had ever tried that on me…"

"You've got one too, Shego." Interrupted the tech guru with a bit more smugness than good health dictated.

"What do you mean…" started the perplexed raven haired villain.

"How do you think I was always able to find your lairs? That thing had such a range I could even track it underwater. Guess Drakken never realized I cracked the frequency years ago. Funny thing though, yours clicked off the grid about the same time as…" a dawning of understanding fell over the young man as he looked at the self-satisfied mug of Ron.

Acknowledging that it must be true Wade had to ask…"How?"

"I found it some time ago when I was meditating. My 'friends' in Japan taught me how to channel my Monkey Powers to mask it temporarily. But the time has come for it to go dude. And I have a funny feeling Shego would be willing to overlook your smug attitude earlier if you were willing to pull hers too."

"All right, I guess that would fall under the 'do the right thing' you mentioned earlier? Ron I want you to know I never wanted to do this to you. She can be just so…" shrugged Wade, unable to come up with the right word.

"Domineering? Yep, I know just how you feel. Maybe it is time for us both to start letting her know just how the rest of her 'team' feel about that. So are you willing to keep a lid on Shego for me? She really did help me out up in the mountains."

"I tell you what. I will not only pull both your chips, and not say a word but I will wipe any record of police investigation in this area for her…on one condition."

"And what would that be?" said the two in unison. Ron thought better than to try the jinx game on such a fragile truce with temperamental vixen, only to have her….

"Jinx! You owe me…whatever the hell it is that gets me…" shouted Shego still unsure of how the game was played she thought she would give it a swing to show him she was willing to loosen up a bit.

"Riigghhtt…" continued Wade watching the exchange with a bit of apprehension, "Price of admission is one detailed story of what the heck happened while you were off the radar."

"Fair enough" said Ron agreeably, "If we wrap this up soon enough, I'll even treat for a late dinner!"

**Middleton, CO**

**The Residence of Kim Possible**

_What was I thinking!?!_ Thought one VERY agitated red-head. Ever since she had said good bye to her friends at the coffee shop she had pretty much worn tread marks in the carpet of her old room at her parent's house.

She was visiting from college and with the whole Ron sitch she just wanted some familiar surroundings. Little did she realize that she would have a veritable replay of high school in where she would tread down this exact same spot and stress out about the likes of Josh, Eric, etc.

In her defense this was a bit different. _Who does he think he is- just TELLING me he'll pick me up? Just like a Rockweller to be so…irritating!_ Thought Kim as she did yet another turn on the carpet. With a sigh she flopped on her bed.

_But he certainly got the good looks to go with the attitude…wait- where did that come from? I'm with Ron…aren't I? _

Utterly vexed she made a decision, I'll just tell him there was a mistake and that I will be happy to pay for any damages and thanks but no thanks on the date.

Satisfied on a course of action and ignoring the flip flop in her stomach urging her to reconsider- she was a bit startled by the doorbell.

"Kimmie-Cub! There's a strange young man at my door looking for you!" yelled her father from the bottom of the stairs.

Oh my God he's here…early? Looking at her clock she realized that he was actually right on time- she just lost track with her musings.

She bounded down the stairs just in time to see her two brothers creeping along the shadows with a malicious gleam in their eyes. As they simultaneously produced remotes and began to press buttons she sprang into action while yelling,

"TWEEBS!…Blake watch ou…" she was too late…

A suspiciously new welcome mat suddenly began to launch the unsuspecting suitor up and away at a substantial speed. The obvious intent was to ensnare him into the gravitronic energy net the twins were developing.

Blake however was not playing along. Utilizing the welcome mat's thrust as a spring board he nimbly forward flipped through the door. On the first tightly crunched mid-air roll he knocked the remotes out of the jaw dropping twin's hands. Unfortunately he did not account on Kim trying to 'rescue' him and completed his second roll with a rather spectacular mid-air collision with her as she jumped down the stair case.

He executed a perfect landing, if you consider sprawled out flat on the ground on top of a gorgeous girl perfect… and honestly what red-blooded male wouldn't?

"Well I guess it would be a tad cliché to say, 'we gotta quit meeting like this?" he hesitatingly joked. His face was only inches away from hers_, God she smells great!_

Kim couldn't tell if she was more stunned by the sudden turn of events, his impressive acrobatics…or his rather intoxicating scent, _He smells so good, and his lips are so close.._

Snapping herself out of that thought quickly she ended up shoving him off her with a bit more force than she had intended.

"DUDE! What did you do…"-- "…to our remotes!?!" said the twins in their almost eerie double speak.

"Just popped the batteries to keep that energy net from snagging me. Nice design by the way." Grinned Blake as he tossed 4 AA batteries to the slack jawed boys.

"How did you…" one started. "know to…" the other started to finish.

"The mat was just too new looking while the porch hadn't been swept in over a week. Besides the initiator 'clicked' audibly when I stepped on the mat. Fix that and add a 15 degree roll towards the yard and it's a keeper." Explained the smiling man who had just foiled what they had thought was a fool proof trap.

"Speaking of keepers, who's your new friend Kimberly?" asked an impressed Kim's mom with an almost noticeable sway in her hips and the unconscious eye lash flirt both mother and daughter were unable to control.

Fortunately Dr. Possible didn't notice but echoed his wife, "Yes Kimmie-Cub, you know how I feel about show folk! He better not be some trapeze…"

"Chill dad!" interrupted an embarrassed Kim, "he is Bonnie's brother and well I don't know exactly what he does…" she noted with a questioning look at Blake.

"Surveillance and securities, Dr. Possible," he stated in an almost hesitant voice as he crossed and gave her father a firm hand shake, "the name is Blake Rockweller and it's a pleasure to meet you…" as he turned and gave her mother a measured but almost elegant handshake "…both."

"What a gentleman, we're planning on having some dinner soon. Won't you join us; it's the least we could do after the boys little stunt." offered the beautiful surgeon.

Kim caught the catch in her mother's breath and subtle eye lash batting, and for the life of her could not understand why it bothered her so much. Suddenly the thought of him in the house a second longer seemed unacceptable, and to cut off the unavoidable questions she decided her original plan of action was out the door- _damn tweebs!_

"Yeah, sorry mom but he was picking me up to go meet some friends, we gotta go…" grabbing her jacket and pulling him to the door, "love ya, bye!"

"Nice to meet you aalll.." yelped Blake as he was almost forcibly dragged out the door. Inwardly he smiled, he figured after Bonnie ranted about Kim's 'loser boyfriend' to him that the red-head would be much harder to get out the door. _Glad I didn't disarm that door mat after all…_

He opened the door to a well worn but impeccably maintained white Ford F-250 and motioned for her to enter. Something about the truck seemed wrong to her but she put it off momentarily to make her intentions clear;

"Let's get one thing straight. This is NOT a date. I have a boy friend that I am quite happy with. I just didn't want my mother ogling you and I figure I owe you after the thing in the coffee shop and my brother's antics." She said as he got in the driver side and buckled up.

"Well I figure after I landed on you in the house we're even for the coffee gig. As for the date & boyfriend; don't sweat it. Your actually doing me a favor." He explained as he reached into his jacket for the keys.

"What do you mean favor?" asked Kim suspiciously.

"Yeah about that, see I love my sister Bonnie I really do and I am trying to do everything I can for her. But even with our bitchy older sisters gone she unfortunately took more after them than I would have liked. I really just needed to get out of the house for the evening and you provided just the right opportunity." Blake admitted as he turned the ignition and the trucks huge Triton V-10 diesel rumbled to life.

Suddenly it clicked what bothered her about the truck. _Most people when they get a truck like this 'personalize' it after putting so much money into it. Stickers, vanity plates, fancy paint job, etc. Besides a medium duty front winch, this truck almost screamed 'inconspicuous' with a plain color and stock everything down to plane plate holders_. To her trained eye it all seemed just too ordinary.

That thought process only took a second or two and she decided to relax a bit as she gathered more info on her old rival's sibling, "Alright as long as we're agreed on the 'not a date' thing. By the way nice truck." She stated fishing for a bit more info.

"Cool, glad you're fine with joining me on a NOT Date…" he joked, "thanks on the truck but it's actually a kind of loner, if you will from my…um…company" he faltered slightly catching her attention.

While that certainly explained some things she could tell he was hiding something. To avoid sounding like an interrogation she let off that line of questioning and changed tact.

"So where will this Not Date be taking us this evening?" she asked with more than a hint of a smile.

"If you don't mind I kind of wanted to let loose a bit, you know have some fun and do something my family would highly disapprove of. Interested? Cause if you are you'll just have to be a good sport and see when we get there." He cryptically entailed.

"All right I'll play your little game, but I warn you, I know 13 styles of Kung-Fu- so no funny stuff!" she agreed with a bit more playfulness in her voice than intended.

They fell into an agreeable silence as he drove across town. She surreptitiously snuck a few glances at the man driving beside her, thoroughly assessing him for the first time.

At first glance he was similar to his truck. Almost painfully non-descript. From his medium length hair to his plain cut jeans and boots, he almost screamed 'regular Joe'. But to her far more calibrated eye there was something more…

…_That almost cavalier hair cut is impeccably groomed at the base and sides, with only a moments work it would appear sharp and groomed. His early 5'oclock shadow indicates he's regularly clean shaven. The plain black leather jacket shows a custom cut too well fitted to be off the rack. A plain tan t-shirt, jeans and sturdy woven leather belt, followed by well made cowboy boots…hhhmmm…suited for outdoor work but well kept enough to throw a sport coat over and enter most descent restaurants… _

There was much more to this man than met the eye but it was actually his eyes that captured the majority of her attention. Those crystal blue orbs would have enchanted her completely if he hadn't caught her staring and broken the spell with a charming smile.

"Well here we are" he said pulling into a parking spot at a large building towards the outskirts of town.

Looking up and realizing where they were she had to suppress an excited giggle, "You have got to be kidding me…"

With a wry grin Blake explained, "I know it seems a bit, uh, juvenile, but with my job and my family I always have to be Mr. Professional. You looked like you had a lot on your mind this morning at least before you covered me with coffee. So I figured we both could use a little fun and sort of, you know…give it a 'roll'? If all goes well maybe I'll let you talk me into some dinner later."

She caught the bad pun and even the subtle innuendo but some how he had touched a string she wasn't even aware she had.

She wanted to just let loose and have some fun and a secret part of her really liked the way he took charge and laid things out. She was always in charge and it was refreshing to have someone simply make a plan and execute. She wondered why it didn't irk her to have him simply expect her to follow his lead, but oddly it didn't. She decided to 'roll' with it as he suggested…

"Sure Blake, I haven't been roller skating in years…"

**Middleton, CO**

**The Stoppable Residence**

"Well it would figure, the one time I try and surprise the folks and no one's home." Bemoaned a forlorn sounding Ron Stoppable as he rummaged through some of his old things.

"I thought you said they travel all the time, an unexpected family trip to Europe isn't out of the norm, right?" Questioned Shego, there was something in his voice that seemed more miffed about this than just missing his mother's cooking.

"Yeah, it's pretty normal, and I'm happy that Han is getting to see the world- I just miss her…" he admitted.

"Your sister? You really love her don't you?" hedged the green toned beauty. She was oddly moved by how devoted he was to his adopted sister. _I wish my brothers had cared half as much about me…_

"Yeah, more than I ever thought possible. When I went off to college, she was the main thing that would bring me back home almost every weekend; she's a great kid. With all the missions lately it has been too long since I saw her…" he cut himself off, still reluctant to show too much weakness or emotion in front of a former enemy.

He decided to change subjects "you know it feels great finally having the leash off; what do you say we celebrate?"

She noted his change in posture and his guard coming up slightly; deciding to let it go she agreed, "Sure thing sport. Hell after nerdlinger's housecleaning on local police records, I can even be seen in respectable society…for the time being."

She almost let a bit of excitement into her voice then dialed it back when she realized that she really was enjoying the thought of going out 'free and clear' as it were. Sure she only had a couple days until they updated their records against the national database; but she had no intention in being around then anyways.

"In that case I guess my initial suggestion of Bueno Nacho is out the window…" he looked at his evening's companion as he zipped up a small bag of clothing that he kept stashed at his parent's home.

She had insisted on taking a shower after their all nighter road trip back to Middleton. Freshly bathed and a new set of clothes she had bought on the way. An emerald green blouse was off set by a new black suede jacket and boots were complimented by a pair of black denim jeans that might as well have been painted on.

_Damn she is, uh, uh_….realizing he was holding his breath with his mouth open…_breath taking!_

"What?!?" she asked with a devious grin as she dried the rest of her luxurious long hair. She knew she was getting his attention as she leaned over to let her hair pour out forward so that she could work the towel through her tresses.

The top 4 to 5 buttons on her blouse remaining unbuttoned had been an 'accident' to get a feel for if he was attracted to her. From the slack in his jaw, the quick dart of his eyes away as she looked and his sudden shift of the bag across his lap while he awkwardly walked back to the door…she could tell that he did.

_Hhhhmmm…maybe this could be a bit more fun than I thought?_ Before she considered that line of thought further she remembered how kind he had been to her thus far and the fact that he actually was treating her like a gentleman should.

_Instead of leering at my chest he simply excused himself politely? I know he was looking; damn, he might be one of the last nice guys out there…_then she shivered at the memory of him as Zorpox and how he had so easily put her in her place.

With a slight smile she then remembered how it had even turned her on a little working for someone who could actually get the job done for once. _He did more in one day than that dolt Drakken had in over a year. _

As she brushed her hair out some more, the Zorpox memory gave way to how he had handled her with little difficulty in the mountains. _There is more to him than he let's on…_she stopped short and realized that she was starting to crush like a damn school girl…_NO! I won't let my emotions lead me, I'll just let this little…distraction serve as a fun little vacation….see where things lead._

She realized in the back of her mind that she had just admitted that there was at the minimum; the possibility of something between herself and her former enemy.

30 minutes later found them both driving towards dinner. Ron had decided to drop by the bank and pick up some funds for a nice dinner and to help on their upcoming trip. The fact that he was carrying cash in the 5 figures in his pocket with a known criminal who watched him pull it…well he knew it should seem ridiculous…but for some reason he was fine with it.

_Must be that moral ambiguity again_... He thought as he looked over to his companion for the evening.

_Thank God she buttoned up that shirt a bit- I don't think I would have been able to walk straight much less carry on a functional conversation if she hadn't._

It was getting a bit later in the evening and he was glad he had Wade secure reservations earlier for them. The Spot wasn't an overly dressy restaurant but due to its amazing food and occasional celebrity visits it was a solid draw 7 nights a week.

As they entered, Ron tipped the man a $20 to ensure they had a table out of the way. Assuming that Ron simply was interested in wooing the beautiful woman to his right and appreciative of the tip the Maitre D thought nothing of it. Thus they were afforded a splendid view of Middleton's skyline and relatively little chance of Shego being recognized.

"If I didn't know any better I would say you wee trying to romance me Mr. Stoppable…" cooed Shego from beneath heavily lidded eyes.

Choking on his drink Ron fumbled through a response; "Uh no! Er, I mean not what I was trying…no one recognized you…I wanted… ahhh hell…"

Brightening up and amused at his antics she decided to let him off the hook, "EASY tiger…I know what you were doing and I appreciate it. I was just playing with you."

"Yeah right, I knew that. I was just, yeah…I got nuthin'" Ron dejectedly admitted. _Damn how is it she can so easily get under my shields? It's not like I am attracted to her, well I mean sure she's hot but…_

Shego saw the storm gathering behind his brow and decided to defuse things a bit, "Listen sport. Let's just cut loose a bit tonight. Our flight isn't until 2 a.m. so I say we get good and smashed and sleep it off in the air. What do ya say, this place has a pretty good bar, right?"

Unable to come up with a better course of action he smiled and remembered something, "As you so eloquently put it when I pitched a particular plan up in the mountains, 'Sure why the hell not?'"

And so they drank, ate dinner and drank, adjourned to the bar and drank….

--------

In a table on the other side of the same restaurant sat two people far more sober but no less enjoying each other's company.

"I have to hand it to ya Blake, I had a blast today." Admitted Kim as she picked at the remainder of her meal.

"I'm glad and I agree. This is the best 'not date' I think I've ever had." Smiled Blake as he noted a slight blush come to her cheeks.

"Listen about that, my boy friend, Ron and I…"

He interrupted, "Please Kim don't. I am very happy calling you a friend and if today is all I get to know you, I count myself lucky. I have a funny feeling you needed a day to not think about your problems with 'Ron' was it? So let's not ruin that with a drama filled explanation."

She didn't know what to say to that, she felt she needed to clear the air after such a great day. But here he was grateful for a small amount of her time. As the silence drew out she realized that she knew virtually nothing about the man whom she was sharing dinner with…she decided to change the topic.

"So Blake besides excellent roller skating and acrobatics, what else do you do?"

He suddenly became noticeably uncomfortable, "Surveillance and securities, mostly domestic work. Not much to tell really, generally pretty boring…" he went on for a minute or two about some details but what really caught her attention was what he wasn't saying.

_He hasn't mentioned anything of substance and this whole line sounds canned and prepared, like he has it memorized and doesn't want to screw up his lines._

She decided to focus on his body language and noted the same thing she had seen while skating. Every one of his motions was measured. He seemed to calculate every action and its reaction and seamlessly pull off its execution. Whether it be a skating spin or simply pouring some water from the carafe on the table, he seemed as if a coiled spring was rippling beneath the surface belying the agility of a prowling predator.

She noted that he had finished speaking and seemed to expect her to offer some sort of a polite, non-committal- "well that's…interesting." He certainly didn't expect…

"OK, now that you have the obligatory bull shit out of the way…what do you really do? And before you offer some lame ass excuse, you should know I have the highest security clearances so if it's federal, DOD or otherwise I'm a green light for knowing…"

She noted his gaze get a bit clearer as he assessed her, it was almost as if he had kept a mask on most of the night and was now letting her see the real face; that was both fun loving and lethal.

She shivered slightly and thought, _If he still can't tell me then he is either off the book black ops or a criminal…damn why can't I just once attract a normal guy? _Catching her self in that thought she chided herself that she was with Ron.

"OK I am going to go the ladies room and let you have a moment to come up with a response your comfortable with on that one." She smiled as she rose.

"Thanks, gotta let the ol' brain catch up with the mouth…" he responded with the most goofy, good natured and quirky smile up at her. Something about that look just caught her breath and she let out a very amused laugh at his attempt at wit.

That particular note of laughter didn't go unnoticed…

------------------------

"Well Stoppable, you hold your liquor better than I thought you would!" complimented one inebriated raven haired villain.

"Hey, you just think that I'm good to go cause' I always look this -_hiccup_-goofy!" he swayed a bit as he responded; "You know Shego I may be just drunk enough to admit something…"

"And that is?" She involuntarily matched his sway a bit as they faced each other at the bar.

"You are absolutely beautiful…"noting her blushing chuckle he assumed that she thought he was joking, "NO! Really ever since I saw your wanted poster my freshman year in high school I have always thought you were the hottest villain out there!"

He said that last part with a bit more volume than intended…allowing a rather overt silence to follow. Fortunately there weren't too many people at their section of the bar, and those that looked quickly decided to mind their own business when she scowled at them.

"Look tiger, I'm gonna go to the _little villainess_ room and let you rethink where you wanted that line of thought to go…" she said as she got up with more conviction than she was sure her legs had and sexily swayed her hips a bit on the way out of the room. She wasn't sure if the sway came from the booze or because she could feel him looking at her ass…

Realizing he needed to sober up a bit and reel it in, his wish was granted in a most unexpected way… a VERY familiar laugh that he would recognize anywhere.

"Kim?" he said softly as he turned and saw his girlfriend laughing more than affectionately with some strange guy!

_Damn she is even pulling out the eye lash batting and coy shoulder dip thing… _he started to berate her mentally when he caught himself in a bout of honesty and thought, _Well I was just pretty much flirting with her arch nemesis…get over it Ron, you are in no shape for this particular argument with her right now. Best get Shego and get out of here before sparks fly…literally_.

------------

The Ladies Room…

_Hhmm, nice suede boots…_ thought KP as she entered the bathroom and noted the feet under the only occupied stall.

As she looked in the mirror she realized her minimal make up had become quite a mess and quickly fixed it.

Meanwhile in the stall behind her Shego was fuming, _Did that little shit just come on to me?!? Why am I so furious about it, isn't this what I was curious about earlier? Or are you just doing your standard 'run away form a good thing bit?'- be honest… _

Shego was obviously at a bit of a crossroads concerning her current feelings for one brown eyed blonde. So it isn't surprising that she paid little attention as the new occupant of the ladies room spent some time at the mirror and was just entering the stall next to her as she got up and was leaving hers.

Both women evidently were too preoccupied to note the other as one door was opening and the other closed. Shego seemed torn as she tried to pull her swirling emotions under control.

_Get a grip girl! Sure he is sweeter than just about any guy you have ever known, and I know he even has a 'bad side' that I admit makes me a little hot, but that is no reason to…dammit I am SHEGO! No one makes me gush like this, it must be the booze, I'll just walk out there- take control and…and…yeah!...right…_

Just above a whisper she dejectedly said, "Am I really falling for the buffoon?" Turning and opening the door she didn't notice the small gasp from the stall behind her.

_Did I just here what I thought I heard?_ Looking through the crack in the stall, she just barely caught a glimpse of a raven hair and…green skin. _Oh Shit! It was her_.

Quickly finishing up she raced off after Shego back into the restaurant.

She caught up to her in the bar just as she was coming up behind some guy, _oh damn she is lighting up her plasma!_

Unbeknownst to Shego her emotions were so tangled up that she was balling her fists up and letting them go- in doing so some of her plasma was involuntarily slipping out.

Next thing she knew there was a red headed tornado on top of her. Given her slightly drunken state she was unable to properly throw off her added momentum as usual. She ended up doing a rather ungraceful forward somersault/face plant that had the added indignity of toppling over the man closest to her at the bar.

Both women springing to ready combat stances Shego looked up, "Princess!?!"

"Who were you expecting, Kermit…Miss Piggie?" The tension of the last few days obviously left Kim on edge and she was spoiling for a good brawl, a little nastiness seeped through her usually good natured banter.

"Now that was just uncalled for…" oddly Shego wanted nothing of it. She knew nothing good could come from this for Ron and was hoping that he could slip out the back if she stalled long enough…_where is he?_

"What's your game now Shego, resorted to following me around to dinner? And what do you know about Ron's disappearance, I heard you in the bathroom mention him. If you hurt him…" She couldn't finish the sentence in her rage so she started to close for an attack until a calm voice came up behind her…

"She's here with me." Stated Ron as he carefully placed a hand on Kim's shoulder.

"WHAT!?!" Yelled Kim as she spun around to face her boyfriend. "Where have you been, what are you…with her? Dammit I want answers!" she almost screamed trying to reclaim some semblance of control.

The last of the bar patrons were finally scurrying out the exits. _Most likely calling 911_ thought Shego, _we don't have time for this_. She could run now and make it, but something kept her in place.

"So that's it huh? Not- I am so happy to see you? I missed you or heaven forbid an apology? Just, 'I want answers'" inquired Ron with an almost maddeningly calm voice considering tensions were so high, Shego's hands were still fully charged and the bar was on the brink of destruction depending on how this conversation played out.

"You walked out on me! What should I apologize for?!? I have been worried sick I couldn't even find you on…" Kim barely caught herself.

"Couldn't find me on what? My electronic leash? Yeah, I knew about that for some time. Bet your wondering why I never said anything. Because I trusted you, trusted that you would eventually do the right thing and tell me. As for running off, I needed space to sort my feelings out before I said or did something to you that I would regret…"

Kim listened while she reeled from the fact that she had been caught in a major lie about the chip. _Oh he must hate me!_, she started to feel her eyes well up with tears, then she saw her opening…redirect.

"Ron I am SO Sorry, I only had your safety in mind with the chip…but what is SHE doing here" then throwing on almost a perfect Puppy Dog Pout she knew she would have him in her back pocket again, "your not really with her…are you?"

Shego thought to herself, _Oh she's good, I better get ready to dart cause with that pout I damn near want to hang me…_

Ron was stunned; for two reasons actually. One he just could not believe that KP was trying to redirect his anger toward her deceit onto Shego and him with her patented PDP. Secondly he was marveling that for the first time in his life it had absolutely no effect on him.

He put all of his heart into his next words…

"It's over Kim. I don't even care that you're here with some other guy tonight; batting your dammed lashes, dipping that shoulder at him…you don't even realize you do that do you? Heh, you don't." he paused as she dashed a quick glance over at Blake's table, he was not there.

"No KP, he's not there he is over behind the corner of the bar trying to get a better position but still maintain his concealment. You're welcome to join us; I mean you no malice…"

Blake paused and discreetly stashed a mini-Glock 9mm back into the custom holster in his jacket before he stood. "Yeah, man let's all just take it easy here…"

"I couldn't agree more." Stated Ron, "Kim this has been building for some time. I have no idea where we go from here but it is pretty telling of our relationship when I can say that the only person in this room that has been completely honest with me truly valued my opinion and stood by me lately is Shego."

He paused again to let that sink in and gauge the reaction. Shego shuffled a little uncomfortably and decided to douse her plasma hoping to draw less attention to herself.

Kim simply attempted a good impression of a fish gasping for air as she tried to grasp what she just heard.

"I am fairly certain this is the best thing for both of us. I am going to be out of the country for a while. I need to chase down some dreams that have been plaguing me lately. Please, if you ever loved me don't try and follow…" he stopped short as he saw the utter dismay on her face.

No matter how mad he was, he could never bring himself to actually hurt her, "KP, you have been my best friend all my life and part of me will always love you. But we both know that this has been coming…" he glanced over at Blake who had a remarkable calm expression considering the tension in the room, "maybe more than you realized. I just ask that you be true to your heart and do the right thing from here on out."

He hugged the now crying heroine, kissed her on the forehead like he always did to calm her and whispered good bye as he walked away.

He slowly walked towards the door that Blake inadvertently was blocking.

Ron sized him up in an instant. Without intending to Ron's eyes blazed blue for a brief second. He intuitively knew that this was a good man. He had some deep secrets but at his heart his intentions were pure. Ron smiled and reassuringly nodded to the stranger; who in an unspoken greeting simply moved aside and held the door for Ron and then Shego.

As they reached the car, Shego reached out and grabbed his shoulder, "Ron, I…"

"I appreciate it Shego, but don't. I just walked out on my best friend of over17 years, if you want to leave now, I would totally understand…not a real shining display of loyalty…"

_I'll be damned…after throwing it all out there and defending me, he's worried about what I would think of him? What am I going to do with you Ron Stoppable…?_

She simply said the only thing that she could say without causing him more grief,

"I'll drive."

**Mt Yamanouchi, Japan**

**Sensei's private dojo**

Yori was seemingly possessed. At least that was how any of the other members of the secret, mountain top, ninja school would say. She was hardly seen out of Sensei's personal dojo. Her light could be seen on at almost any hour either studying ancient scrolls or attempting an exceptionally difficult martial technique on the training mat. She was eating less and less and seemingly without sleep.

So Sensei was not surprised to find her this particularly beautiful morning sprawled out over a scroll on the training mat, unconscious. The little pool of drool on the text betrayed just how exhausted she was.

"Don not worry Sensei, when I saw her starting to nod with sleep I suggested she read that scroll; it is a mere facsimile of the original." stated Alexandria with a little amusement in her digital voice.

"That is fortuitous indeed my old friend. However we should both be more vigilant in prompting her to take better care of herself. She will need her rest in the battles to come…" toned the wizened old warrior.

"I seem to recall someone equally vigilant in his studies despite the added task of building a school…"

Sensei grinned, "Truly you are the only one who even attempts to keep me honest any more. You are right, but we should learn from my mistakes, I seem to recall more than a few things being broken due to my ill-focus."

"Just a natural rock bridge to the entrance, the original stairway to the summit, a few…" listed the spirit driven/ computer voice.

"Enough, I am acquiring the point!" he said with good natured volume to his voice as he knelt next to his sleeping daughter.

"Yori, please join me in the courtyard."

Despite feeling as if she were covered in tar in a dark room…and underwater; she quickly came to her senses.

"Of course father, it would be my honor."

He smiled and proceeded to the courtyard allowing her a moment to compose herself.

As she approached the master of the school she attempted to still her self and be as stealthy as possible. It was a game they had played since childhood. She was within mere feet…

"Your skills have indeed improved, but with time you will come to understand why you would never win this little contest of ours."

Chagrined she joined where he indicated next to him and followed his gaze.

Looking out over the reflection pool she was greeted with slightly crisp mountain air and the pleasant dueling scents of Lotus and Cherry blossoms. She could hear the morning birds greet the rising sun as its first rays burned off the slight dew. It was a typical breathtaking Yamanouchi morning.

Noting her gaze, Sensei smiled and broke the silence "I can assure you, no matter how many times you see it- it will always bring a smile to your face and peace to your heart."

"That is good to hear, for I am honestly vexed father." Admitted the lithe, young ninja.

"I know it is much for you to take in at once daughter. But I assure you that no task will be set before you that is unattainable."

Noting her solemn smile and nod he continued, "I understand you have been pushing yourself to your limits. Remember that the mind will work only as well as its balance with the body will allow."

Ensuring that she had absorbed this statement he then asked, "And how are your studies proceeding?"

"Very well but one thing I keep getting confused on."

"And that is?"

"The Lotus Blade Prophecy; I am not sure how to interpret its meaning."

"Ahhh, I was wondering when you would come to this conundrum."

"Father if I am reading this correctly then there is more to the sword than I am currently privy to."

"This is indeed true, but first I must ask for a demonstration…in balance and multi-tasking…"

Without another word he rose and walked across the yard and out the front gates, a slight nod of his head compelling her to follow him.

They arrived at the edge of the vast chasm beside the 1st rope bridge.

"Have you been practicing the mantras of introspection that accompany the Lotus Blade Prophecy?"

"Yes, Father. That is where I first became aware that I was not seeing something. It alludes to the 'balance of the blades'. It refers to the sword in the plural…I do not understand."

"All will be revealed in time…please have a seat at the edge and await my next instruction."

Doing as told she sat cross legged at the edge facing across the gulf and watched Sensei walk across the bridge. He assumed a mirror sitting position across the chasm.

Without warning he began to glow a brilliant gold color. Soon Yori could feel a subtle "push" in her mind and then suddenly…

"_Daughter can you hear me_?"

"_Sensei? Are you utilizing telepathy_?" inquired the young ninja with more than a little wonder.

"_Of a sort. Everyone has an individual aura or spirit if you will that can be manifested outwardly as you see mine doing now. That is only the beginning of mastering your potential, next comes from within and with practice can allow this form of communication. The fact that I can hear you means that you have indeed been practicing diligently. We will take this to the next reasonable conclusion. If we can affect our outward appearance and inversely master our projection of thought_…"

"_Next we can affect our surroundings!"_ Exclaimed Yori through their link. She was slightly startled to note that her skin was tingling and she too was beginning to glow a golden hue.

"

"_Now I want you to focus on levitating with me. I know that you have done this before to some degree. Now you must not think of it as defying gravity, but rather utilizing the laws of Nature that govern gravity. All things about you, all the 'rules' that you are accustomed to accepting as fact are about to be put in a different light_."

This thought rightfully frightened her a bit. Then she remembered the first Mantra of The Lotus Blade; "Fear is not to be avoided or overcome; it is to be utilized as the tool that it is. Fear, well used will not control me, it will enlighten and enforce my will when used properly."

Slowly she began to levitate with little to no effort. At first she began to feel pulled down a bit then she noted that Sensei began to levitate as well and their 'physical link' was now even and taut.

"I _am pleased Daughter. You are progressing faster than I could have hoped_."

"_My teacher has prepared me well_."

Grinning inwardly (as she felt through the bond) he continued "_Now comes the crux of the lesson. We represent two end of a bond that is incredibly strong. Are we the only two forces that affect its capability?"  
_

She thought on the question for some time. The link and their position never faltering as they hovered on either side of the canyon. Finally she believed she had deciphered his question.

"_Without external stimuli the bond will never move or grow. With too much force on one side the balance will be thrown off_…"

"_What is the solution to this imbalance?"_ urged Sensei.

"_A fulcrum of some sort. A force loyal or at least interested in the continuation of the bond to move as a balance point and help steady the two ends…"_

As she said this the Lotus Blade materialized before her and hovered half way between her and Sensei out over deep ravine. Its razor sharp tip pointed towards their almost visible bond.

Unexpectedly, Sensei levitated another 30 feet in the air. Swiftly the Lotus Blade swooped along the path of their link towards Yori…she swayed a moment…then was thrust into the air! The teeter totter affect balanced out the two glowing persons and brought them level much higher than before.

Rapidly Yori attempted to catch her breath; then it dawned on her. _"The Lotus Blade is linked to something else! And something or…someone…you! Father, you have been the balancing point between them."_

"_You are correct on all but one point."_ He thought to her as he levitated across the chasm and they gracefully descended to standing positions on the school side of the bridge.

Without further explanation he motioned for her to follow. He led her to the stand that had held the Lotus Blade since the school was built by his own hands. It was rematerializing into place as they entered.

"You have demonstrated an ability to balance not only your own perception and inner-self but that around you. You are ready to learn the final secret I have withheld from you…place your hand on the emblem of the Lotus on the rock. Focus on the balance that you will be required to provide."

She did as instructed. She felt warmth where she expected cold stone, then a slight tingle and then…nothing.

"Sensei? I am not sure if I am applying myself correctly…"

"Are you truly prepared to assume the duties entailed with being my successor?"

She nodded as she continued to focus.

"You do realize that this will require you to live with but apart from the rest of humanity as you will in essence become immortal?"

Soberly she nodded.

"Finally you must accept that the hopes and dreams you had up until this moment may very well be forfeit. Your road will not lie along Stoppable-san's you will have an equally challenging but separate path…"

"You mean…?"

"Yes, he is destined for another. Whom I am unsure, that has become…cloudy as of late. But if you are to be my successor, daughter you must understand that you will not be joined with a wielder of the Lotus Blade."

That took a moment to sink in. She had only ever had feeling for Ron-san. This next step would essentially separate her from him forever…

"Do not fear that you will be driven from his life…far from it. In fact he will be much linked to you here. Just not in the role that you may have wished."

"Will I ever know love?" she asked in a tentative but resolved voice.

"Oh yes. You will have many travels and adventures and frankly will learn to love in ways others could only imagine. Your loves will be timeless, yet measured; boundless but fragile. For you will come to know mortality through others and at times wish that it was something you too could taste…" voiced the wizened mentor with an almost wistful tone to his voice.

She contemplated all of this. The monumental path that she was embarking and realized that it was what she had been raised for, possibly born for. Just as Ron-san had to come to accept his destiny with the blade so would she. She resolved to do whatever it took and…let go of what ever necessary.

Then it happened…

Blinding light in every conceivable color issued forth from the emblem she was still holding. Sensing her resolution the Blade and the Bloom accepted her as the next guardian of Yamanouchi and brought her into the fold. She wept once and passed out on the floor…her hand still touching the stone.

She was everywhere…and nowhere. Then she found herself in an ancient cave, below this very mountain…almost 2000 years ago. She turned to her left and saw a young man not much older than herself waiting cross legged, patiently on the floor.

Across the way two men toiled ceaselessly to perfect their task. This went on for much time, days into months, into years. The young man came back and forth providing several key items such as precious metals, material…and a rare priceless stone. It radiated numerous different colors, seemingly at once.

Finally they were done and the young man…though a bit older; received a pair of sword from each in turn. One she instantly recognized as the Lotus Blade, the other was simply too magnificent to describe. Yet intuitively she knew it was the "Bloom" to the Blade's tree, the yin to its yang if you will.

She began to understand…

Then she was off again! At a seemingly break neck pace she was flung through the proceeding centuries through out countless lands and lives. She was exposed to every single bearer of the Lotus Blade. Countless acts of bravery, self sacrifice and unspeakable nobility. It was so overwhelming, it seemed too much to bare.

Then she noted that through it all the guiding hand, the force encouraging all of these amazing personage to attain the seemingly impossible…was that same young man. He patiently waited and trained and traveled. Learning an immense range of lessons from all variety sources he of course grew into the man she knew as Sensei…Father.

She wept. She cried as if she had never known tears before. She had always respected the man but now confronted with the magnitude of his achievements…she knew only solemn reverence.

And then the lessons came forth. An imperceptible blur of information. Too fast for any one thought to coalesce, but she could feel it all being retained nonetheless. At first she resisted a bit; attempting to force the information to slow or bend to her needs. Then it became apparent. It would be there when she needed it. She need only focus and it would present itself. The trick was not _knowing_, but rather be willing to still yourself enough to let the right knowledge come to you.

She had faith in this and let her self flow into the stream of knowledge, bathing in its almost warm currents as it enveloped her. She lost all track of space and time. She was both content and anxious, she was glad to receive this awareness but restless to pick through it all. She smiled as she realized…'I have time."

She slowly became aware that she was waking from…whatever that was. _A quickening of sorts…_mused Yori. She was groggy and disoriented to say the least.

"How long was I out?" she asked. She knew Sensei was a few feet to her left without looking; she could just 'feel' him.

"3 Days. You must come with me and attain sustenance. You are weak from your trials…"

"No wait! Thank you for your concern, but I must do something…"

She stood and faced the rock, placing her hand on the emblem again. This time with no effort at all the primary colors issued forth in sequence and the drawer silently issued forth the Lotus Bloom. She reverently gazed upon it.

"Daughter I feel the conflict growing within you…what is it?"

"I must contact Ron, I understand the part of the prophecy that will be coming to pass and will affect him greatly."

Sensei had his suspicions but wanted to see if she had come to the same conclusions, so he prodded, "And that is?"

She quoted, "The Chosen One will embrace his powers in a decisive moment. He will have to choose between Love and Power. This choice will plague him throughout his life. However the Fate of the World will hang in this initial choice…for it will bring either balance or ruin."

With a confident but somewhat questioning look to Sensei she found confirmation in his subtle nod.

They then said in unison, "The battle is coming."

**World Air Flight 8403 to Hong Kong**

**High above the pacific **

Though the first class accommodations on this particular flight were excellent, you could cut the tension and uncomfortable silence between seats 3A and 3B with a knife.

"I can't think of a time that anyone has laid it out on the line for me like that before…" mused Shego as she considered the events of earlier that evening.

She was very aware that Ron had effectively derailed Team possible.

_Why I am I not leaping for joy?_ She questioned herself.

_Because he probably broke his own heart in the process…and I…like…that heart._

_No I don't! Come on…Be honest, who else has ever looked at me with something other than lust, greed or fear? He may just be the real deal…_

Not comfortable with where that train of thought was heading she decided that at the very least she could reach out a bit…if nothing else to break the silence…

"Ron, do you want to talk about it?"

He seemed to honestly consider it for a moment and sighed, "Right now I don't think my head is in the right place to trust letting my mouth run free. But you could do me a big favor…I need a distraction, something to just help avoid a self-pity party…"

Suppressing a stray random thought about the 'Mile High Club' she inquired, "Any ideas?"

"Actually I have a question. But it is a bit personal and I will totally understand if you don't want to answer…"

"Shoot."

"You were a teen hero, had all sorts of stuff lined up, why did you go bad? Sorry, but I have always wanted to know…your brother Hego's, 'she developed a taste for it' thing just never sat right with me."

A rather pregnant pause ensued while she decided whether to share her past with him.

_He just threw out his future tonight, and even though I wasn't the instigator, I was involved…what could it hurt to share some of my past…_

"Well, It's kind of a long story…" she hedged.

"Shego, we're on a Trans Pacific flight; how much time do you need?"

"OK, I haven't ever really told anyone the whole story…I'll take a swing at a cliff notes version…

"Right out of high school I was all set to attend Go City University. I was progressing great with using my powers in crime fighting and seemed to have a knack for getting out of a scrape with the bad guys-heh, funny to use that term in hind sight…" she paused nostalgically for a second and saw that Ron was sitting in rapt attention to her story. She decided to just dive right in…

"That summer I was approached by Global Justice. Approached may not be the right word I should say I 'dropped in' by way of those damn tubes of theirs…" she noted a knowing smile on his face indicating he knew exactly what she meant.

"Anyways it seemed that ol' Dr. Director had been following my development with a keen interest. She had picked up on the tensions growing in Team Go, specifically with me and Hego.

She proposed that I become and operative for her. It seemed that there was an up and coming villain that was just too quirky and unconventional for them to keep tabs on via normal means, so she wanted me to become a deep cover operative for GJ."

She smiled briefly at the slightly stunned look on Ron's face, he nodded expectantly and took a guess, "Dr. Drakken?"

"He shoots, he scores", she confirmed with a wry grin, "the plan was for me to stage going 'bad' by having a huge public blow up with my brothers. Problem was that Hego was too dense and Mego too self absorbed to ever keep something like that under wraps. So they were kept out of the loop. I wanted to tell the twins but Dr. Director felt it best for my safety to play this one close to the vest."

The stewardess interrupted briefly offering both Ron and Shego beverages. They both felt some coffee and water would help their lingering hang-overs. Shego continued.

"It was simple enough to pull off and even easier for most anyone who knew Hego to believe. I made no secret of what I thought of my older brother's heavy handed and down right ridiculous attempt at leadership…

So after a big spat on the street and some subtle information disseminated by other agents in the underworld I became a mercenary…I even put out that I was interested in hiring on with someone interested in large plans, especially anything with a need for an expert thief.

Ironically, GJ provided me with some excellent training on espionage and how to subvert just about any security system…

Eventually after working with a handful of no name idiots and pulling of a few descent jobs Dr. Drakken found and hired me…

He tested me a bit at first with some little tasks- steal this and break into that. I eventually earned his trust enough to be let in on his big 'take over the world' plans.

Oddly enough I enjoyed my work. I had never liked the high profile nature of Team GO and frankly the whole 'save every damn cat in a tree' thing didn't fit me. But working for GJ as a deep cover agent I had a free ticket to do about anything I wanted to 'establish my cover'. It was the best of both worlds!

If someone got in my way- I knocked them down, if something was an obstacle I went through it…let's just day I got into the 'role' more than my handler would have liked…"

"What do you mean 'Handler' like in the spy movies?" interrupted Ron.

"Yeah, couldn't let me run amok without some sort of a leash. Problem was that Dr. Director mistakenly thought that because of my youth I would respond better to someone closer to my age. Boy was she wrong; I may have listened to a seasoned pro…maybe. But the wet behind the ears 'rising star' as she called him was way too easy to walk over…besides I think he had a bit of a crush on me. Far too friendly at any rate…had the most ridiculous name…Will Du…"

She paused when she heard Ron starting to choke on a swig of coffee he was taking.

"Will Du was your handler?" He asked in utter disbelief, "The stick in the mud, by the book, 'I am a TOP AGENT'- sanctimonious Du had a crush on you and was actually…friendly?"

"You know him? Well I can see how he would have ended up that way after the fall out from what happened next…" She continued…

"Rather quickly I got in to Dr. Drakken's plans and was dismayed at what all he had schemed up. It was like the man had spent his entire life making plans for world domination. What dismayed me more was that a lot of those plans excited me more than I care to admit…

"Not to mention that Dr. Drakken…Drew, actually seemed to respect me for me. He never looked down on me for my skin color. Not that ol' blue boy could talk, but he seemed to know intuitively what I had endured for my appearance. And despite his eccentric personality he was a tolerable employer and paid me well. He could afford to; the cheap skate never had to buy anything when he had a government trained burglar on the pay roll…

Then I met you and Kimmie…"

Ron stirred in his seat a bit, remembering their first encounter; she gave him a reassuring smile and continued.

"After you and the princess busted us that first time the agents actually were smart enough to take us to an appropriate holding facility. GJ had been waiting anxiously for Drew to pull a caper big enough to nail him to the wall on.

I was booked right along with him to retain my cover. They then put me in a separate cell.

Dr. Director was waiting patiently with a rather pleased smile.

She told me that I did well and that she would like to keep me deep cover.

It should have been my big moment. My first big bust. But for some reason all I felt was a nagging guilt and a feeling that I had betrayed someone who had believed in me.

She didn't care that I had been out of contact with my family for almost a year and that the rest of the world had branded me a criminal.

Her praise of my being an 'excellent agent' sounded to my ears more like an 'efficient tool'.

Will Du's smug little; self satisfied grin didn't help much either as he came into the cell and patted me on the head like a lap dog.

I made a decision.

I knew that I sure as hell liked the villain gig better than this tongue in cheek session. It certainly paid better and honestly you knew where you stood with your 'colleagues'. They were crooks- but at least they would usually square off with you, not leave you out to the wolves.

So I smiled and thanked them both and accepted whatever stupid assignment they offered, like the good little agent they thought I was.

After they left I went to the supply locker. I bagged up whatever quality gear I could get my hands on and signed it out for my next 'mission'.

I then went to the lock up and took Dr. Drakken into my custody for transport to headquarters. Who was going to question Special Agent Shego? I let him rant the whole way out as I expected he would. And I walked right out the front door with him.

I drove us to one of his lesser used lairs and turned him loose. As you might expect he was put out that he had been played a fool by his partner. When I explained that I had decided to 'go bad' as you put it and that I wanted to work for him full time, he was touched in that weird way only a mad scientist can be.

After quite a bit of his maniacal laughter he decided that it was too good to pass up and that the irony alone was worth the risk.

Once Global Justice realized I had gone off the reservation and wasn't coming back I was too far gone for them to do anything about it…"

Ron cleared his throat and interrupted with a question in a tentative voice "But you never went totally 'bad' you never killed anyone even though you had the chance to off me & Kim lots of times."

She sighed as if she had hoped that she could avoid this part of the story…_might as well tell him the whole thing…_ she thought before she started up again.

"I'll be honest I am not very proud to say that that is not entirely true…

I didn't get the reputation as a hard ass bitch on my charming personality alone," she good naturedly smiled to attempt to disarm the concerned look on his face.

"After Drew and I were back on the street, and GJ realized how bad they fouled up…they decided to try and 'clean up' their mess…

The Agent they chose indicated just how badly they wanted the whole thing swept under the rug. His given name was Sebastian Grim but the criminal underworld knew him as the Reaper. He was about as dirty as they came when it came to his job.

He would do anything to complete a mission…in a way I guess I kind of respected that about him.

Until Dr. Director turned him loose on us.

GJ generally turned a blind eye to his methods, as long as he produced results. Over the years he had let this _carte blanche_ approach to his operations instill a veritable God complex in to his style.

Fear and terror were his tools. He was very adept at learning your innermost fears and insecurities and exploiting them. He would stalk a subject down and pull at every raw nerve they had until usually they would beg to be taken in…or put out of their misery.

He was so good that he started to shake down villains for cash and keep a little of his busts on the side. He probably didn't even look at it as dirty or crooked, just re-dispersing the wealth. Whatever, just as long as he was busting up the other guy…

But then he met me, and screwed up…twice.

First he forgot or overlooked the fact that I had once been an agent and had access to all GJ records.

And secondly he involved my family…

His plan was brilliant in its simplicity and audacity. Hurt or destroy everything I had ever cared about in my prior life as a hero…and make it look like I was the person who did it.

He knew that if I ever wanted a life as a villain I couldn't deny I did them…and oddly it helped build my street cred that I was willing to knock over old friend's business's and tear up Go City…at first it only irked me; then that bastard decided to drop me a line…

I got an untraceable e-mail from him stating that he maybe willing to stop the mayhem in my name…if I came in freely. I told him to go to Hell. He signed off that he would pass my love to my brothers…

He knew he would have a tough time cracking Go Tower physically, but Hego never listened to me about that damn big screen being a security risk…so Reaper knew exactly when they were all at their most vulnerable.

I got there soon after the fire extinguishing system was drained dry and the worst of the flames put out. Go City Teen Center was having a retro style sock hop…fortunately most of the kids had gotten out in time. Those damn do-gooding little twins…" she choked back a quiet sniffle and proceeded, "well they thought they could take him…they were wrong.

He had hung their bloody, broken and battered bodies from alternate ends of the gym's basketball court's hoops and let the fire rage around them.

They survived…barely.

They were lucky they had worn their Team GO suits underneath their civilian clothes; that and their Comet Powered healing time were the only thing that saved them…and of course me blowing a 20 ft hole in the wall when I saw them like that.

Kind of made it easier for rescue crews to work through the debris and the boys were evacuated much quicker. The green plasma tinged blast mark also left little to no doubt in anyone's mind that I was the culprit.

I'm sure ol' Sebastian had thought that his research had paid off and by hitting the two people in my family I actually gave a damn about that I would somehow fold…not my style. Always been more of a 'best defense is a good offense type of girl…

In hindsight I guess the plan was already cooking when I arrived back at Drew's latest lair. The sight of the Reaper torturing him just clinched it.

The sight and stench of the blood…the vomit…the urine…and feces; it was a defining moment in which things just 'clicked' in my brain.

I didn't hold back an ounce of my energy. For the first time on an adversary I just let them have it all…he thought he was prepared. His adamantium took some work to get through…just long enough for me to pull Drew to safety.

Drew was a mess. The so called Grim reaper was definitely good at his job…efficient even…just not smart enough; he fucked with the wrong green skinned bitch.

After I melted and fused his body armor around him like a fixed suit of armor/cage I peeled back small openings at both inner elbows, knees, ankles, across his chest at his groin and finally his lower face. Leaving him effectively blind and somewhat deaf from the roaring plasma bath he had received and the armor now covering those senses I left him only three things in his reality-taste, smell and….pain.

While I initiated first aid to Drakken I made a phone call to a 'friend' that I had met during a trip to Singapore. He wasn't a bad guy necessarily, but the good guys didn't know what to make of him either. His name was Logan and let's just say he knew how to fix bad situations. I was lucky; he was stateside and was able to show up in a few hours.

With his extensive knowledge of battlefield medicine and more experience than I think I'll ever really know; we had Drew back on his feet by morning. He wasn't pretty but then again the blue dolt never really was to begin with…

Before he left Logan went over and looked at my new 'modern art piece' he jokingly called it…until he got within smelling distance of the small holes.

I had gone to work on Sebastian Grim while I was waiting for my friend to arrive.

And when we had taken breaks….

And any moment I could spare….

All the larger tendons of his extremities had been severed and cauterized, rendering him dependent on the suit to stay up right…

I had poured hot salt water into the legs of the suit and heated it up with plasma till it was boiling. Allowing a fan to keep his lungs from searing, I effectively burned off the first few layers of skin over half of his body. Ironically the procedure pretty much ensured that the interior was flash sterilized, cutting down on the risk of infection…for awhile.

I made sure that every horror, every sensation…every smell that he forced the twins and Drew to endure was revisited upon him seven fold.

I was more than mildly impressed that he took so long to pass out. But that was what smelling salts and stimulants are for…

Logan surveyed my work with a calculating and unwavering eye. He knew what the bastard had done to my family, and probably better than anyone how pain can tax your morality.

He walked up to me with probably the most non-judgmental and knowing expression I have ever seen.

I'll never forget what he said, 'Time to make a choice darlin', if you let him go…he'll come back. After what you done to him, his family will come after you if he doesn't survive. Better decide how far you gonna take this…you know how to get ahold' of me if you need me.'

With that he turned and left without even a second glance at the slightly moaning 'art piece' in the corner.

I sat and thought about what he said. Again hind sight being 20/20 I don't think I got the message just right…at any rate, I went with what I knew.

I told Drew to hook him up to IV's, O2, whatever needed to make sure he stayed alive. He nodded and differed to my judgment without question…he was just happy I had made 'the bad man stop' as he put it when he came to. I referenced my computer data base, got what I needed and hit the road.

It took me a couple days but the large moving van I stole allowed me to keep all my new guests in one place and close by.

I felt so sure I was making the right choice…I was going to send GJ a message.

In no uncertain terms it would spell out what would happen when family was no longer considered 'off limits'.

I set up everything at a near by high school football field. It was night and summer break to boot so no one really noticed as I staked every squirming, and as yet unharmed member of Sebastian Grim's family to each 10 yd line.

The thing most people didn't know about 'The Reaper'; at least those lacking GJ security codes…was that when not actively on a mission he was the epitome of a respectable member of the community. Church elder, PTA dad, he even helped the local Pixie Scout Troop, seeing as two of his four kids were in it.

Yep, at home the terror of the underworld was a down right 'Ward Cleaver'. And they never had a clue.

Until that night.

I had called Drew and told him to load the son-of-a-bitch in the hover craft and land on the 50 yd line. He had started to sputter something but I cut him off.

In all honestly I still was not certain how far I was going to go…part of me never wants to know.

It seems fate decided to intervene…

As the hover craft approached I made my way to start undoing all their blindfolds and gags.

I had only managed to get the oldest boy's blindfold off. He was a spirited little shit high schooler, gave me a bit of hassle balling him and his sisters up. No matter, he didn't deserve what came next.

I had intended on putting on a show for the Reaper…it turned out the only one getting a show was me and that kid.

The hovercraft door opened and instead of sliding the armor/cage down the ramp; Drew carried a lifeless form and set it on the 50 yd line. He explained to me in hushed tones that he had tried to tell me that the guy had up and died this morning. He had cut him out of the suit and done everything he could to revive him.

Dr. Drakken was unsure if it was from a pre-existing heart condition or secondary infection due to the growing filth in the suit…or a combination of both.

It didn't matter. Either way, the blood was on my hands. And although I was frustrated and even a little freaked by that prospect, one thing and one thing alone brought everything in to stark clarity.

The huge staring eyes of the man's eldest son…who was drinking in every detail of this moment.

A proper villain would have gotten rid of all evidence and witnesses…but something in that kid's face forced me to take stock of what I was doing.

I knew nothing I could say would put this all in perspective, especially to that now fatherless kid. No explanation of what he did to me and mine or how much of a dirty cop he was.

So I decided my penance would be to become that monster that Sebastian probably warned his kids about at night or around the Pixie Camp Fire. No reason for the kid to know how much his father resembled them…

So I went over and knocked the kid out cold, left everyone else unharmed and unaware while me and Drakken slipped off into the night…"

Ron couldn't help himself, "But wait! I would have heard about something like this. Killing a Federal Agent, even unintentionally would have brought down a huge man hunt, KP and I would have been involved somehow…" he trailed off as he noted a bittersweet smile cross her midnight toned lips.

"You would think so, eh? It seems that a certain 'friend' of mine decided to have a private chat with Dr. Director about the actual methods being employed by some of her agents. Had a substantial amount of proof to back it up as well.

Seems that in light of his actions against my family I was free and clear concerning the death. They essentially swept their dirty laundry under the rug and left me out in the cold, labeled as the villain that I had become…" she looked and saw the look of compassion on Ron's face. He was so understanding. She was so worried that now that he knew the whole truth he would be disgusted by her.

But instead she saw in his chocolate orbs a wealth of compassion and love that she was startled and secretly moved by. She was not ready for this and decided to fall back on some of her natural 'charm'…

"Don't get me wrong Stoppable, the last thing I am looking for is pity… I love being a villain and no matter how cute you are or fun of a time we have- that isn't going to change…ever." She was surprised how easily he took that statement, she had not intended for it to sound like an ultimatum, it just sort of worked out that way.

He paused before answering. He knew that his response may be setting the precedence for any future interaction with the raven haired beauty. Slowly a wide and oddly wicked grin crept across his face…

"I have been learning recently there is a definite gray area between the black and white of good vs. bad. All I do know is that it took a lot to share that with me and I am honored by your trust. After what I did to those guys up on the mountain...I'm the last guy who'll pass judgment on you" he paused and sighed as he thought about the up-coming trip to Hong Kong.

"You know Shego, I bet the paperwork that Wade generated for us will get you just about anywhere on Earth. If you want to fade away or run or whatever it is the bad guy does to get away…I'll understand" he closed his eyes and mustered up the courage to finish his train of thought…

"but I will be honest, I could really use a friend I can trust…like you, beside me...with what I am looking for here." He finished the statement looking deep into her emerald eyes. He as uncertain what she was thinking…

_Is he for real? I expect him to run for the hills after my deepest secrets are revealed and he says he's honored!? A friend that he can trust? _

_If he is playing me I swear I'll kill him, cause he is getting under my skin way too quickly…_she finished her thought as she smiled and placed her left hand in his right and squeezed,

"Who knows maybe a couple of sidekicks might just make a good team."

**The Northern Rockies**

**The secluded lair of Dr. Drakken**

The machine lay in ruins.

At one time it had been a highly sophisticated piece of telemetry and satellite tracking hardware.

After numerous days of spotty signal and then a final "TERMIANL SIGNAL FAILURE" flash across the screen his last nerve finally snapped.

Looking back as he was panting in the corner…having been thrown more than a dozen feet…using the atomic particle accelerator at point blank range on the tracking unit was a bit of over kill.

Which fit his mood just fine. Lacking anything remotely resembling an inner monologue he barreled off into one of his pacing rants,

"I will snag her little green ass back from under whatever rock she crawled under!"

"I will fillet whoever it is she is cavorting with!"

"I will snatch that skin tight jumpsuit of hers and those luscious curves…"

After looking around quickly to ensure she hadn't heard that last comment, it was a natural self preservation instinct he had developed…

"How dare that malicious minx walk out on me! Who does she think she is to pull the plug on my state of the art tracking unit…" remembering that he never did upgrade the Windows 95' software like he planned he realized it wasn't as up to date as he thought,

"Drat! Even when she isn't here; her sassy taunts and hurting words linger, reminding me of my failures…"

He was on a rough see-saw between self pity and anger. It was a tumultuous ride to say the least and he was grateful for the distraction when he received a heavily encrypted message on his large computer screen.

It read as follows,

"When you are done wallowing, a job of considerable importance awaits you.

If the sizable financial gains do not tempt you (think high 8 figures) then perhaps the potential death of Team Possible may get your attention.

You will be one integral part in a much larger machine that together will be unstoppable.

If you accept the start up funds in the attached Caymen Island Account, our organization will take that as agreement to do the following.

Forget about Shego, if she returns-fine. We will pay her well as muscle. Otherwise with the money you have available to you, her burglar talents will not be required.

You will speak of this to no one…especially your mother and your Karaoke buddies.

You will build a highly efficient Ray Gun. It will have a highly accurate sighting system ranged to approximately 500 meters. It will be man-packable by no more than 3 men. Its emitter will be capable of handling a wide range and most importantly a large quantity of power. Speaking of power- do not concern your self with a power source. That project has been out sourced to a subject matter expert. Just ensure your input cable has a European Adaptor capability.

After completion of your task you will stand by for further instructions.

Join our cause towards a better future, one that will appreciate people of your particular 'caliber'. Dr. Drakken we want your brilliance on our team, join us and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams."

Needless to say it was a pleasant distraction and far more interesting than the usual spam that flooded his computer's in-box.

He contemplated for only a moment and then it seemed his earlier rant re-gained steam.

"I'll show that faithless vixen! Who needs her anyways!?! I am an 'integral' part of something bigger!"

He quickly transferred the money from the account and drafted a 'shopping list'.

He frowned a bit at the thought of actually buying the items, but then realized how much money he was just given and the very specific instructions.

He could be found late into that night tossing back coco-moo and working on the specifications of his new project.

**Hong Kong, China**

**Smuggler's Inn Restaurant & Bar **

"There it is!" yelled an overly excited Ron as he pointed to the mirror behind the bar of the old English Pub.

Shego eyed the seedy clientele with a wary survey of the premises. The place was aptly name in her opinion. "Yeah, great, whatever. Tell me again why you dragged me into this place? I thought we were having a nice little shopping spree on the wharf, in, uh…cleaner surroundings…."

Ron rolled his eyes as he explained…again, "My Uncle Rook was a Marine in Vietnam. Before he went Force recon, he started out with a grunt outfit; Charlie 1/9- 'The Walking Dead'. The survivors of that first platoon came to Hong Kong for liberty. They all signed a 5 dollar bill-the one that's still up on that mirror-and paid the owner well for taking care of them while they stayed here….I must have heard those stories a hundred times growing up…"

"But seeing the real deal is how you say…cool?" interrupted a grizzly bearded, older oriental man.

"Uh, yeah. Can I help you sir?" inquired Ron with a puzzled look on his face.

"No, but may I be the one to help you?" He quibed back in passable English as he continued, "did I hear mention of good man…The Rook?"

"Yes, he was my uncle, did you know him?" ventured Ron.

"I should say so! Almost killed me did he!" the old man let out with a laugh, "Ol' Rook could party with best of them. I worked here back then too. Became friends with his team. Made big mistake…got drunk with them one night…too much rice wine, good music and bad women!" he chuckled to himself while Shego hid a smile and Ron tried to picture his quite Uncle Rook as the party animal.

The little old man finally calmed from his laughing and coughing fit and asked, "I am Wan. You look a bit like him. What bring you to Hong Kong and with emerald princess?" A not so subtle lustful leer towards Shego caused her to shift her position more behind Ron.

"My name is Ron and this is Shego. Right now we are shopping but I was hoping to visit something called the Island of A Thousand Buddha's?"

This stopped the old man flat for a moment, "And who told you to see this 'Island of 1000 Buddha's'?"

Realizing that he did not want to say 'my ninja sensei in a dream' he hedged out, "a wise teacher from my past."

The man seemed to accept this and smiled, "The place you speak of is The Tain Tian Buddha monument. It lies near the Gate Way from Heaven to Earth at the Po Lin Monastery. It is not often called the Island of a thousand Buddha's anymore…"

Shego interrupted her curiosity getting the better of her, "When was it common to be called that?"

The old man thought about it a moment, "My grand father often referred to it as such. But so much damage has happened to the various statues it is no longer a very accurate description. It is still how you say…a…must see! Since you family of the Rook I take care of you like I did him…"

Something unexpected welled up in Shego that felt disturbingly like jealousy, "That's great Wan, what do you say we leave out the 'bad women' part though?"

Chuckling or was that cackling, the old man agreed and explained that his nephew ran a charter service and could take them on the ferry the next day and even arrange a drive up the mountain and tour with one of the Monks.

Ron graciously accepted and recommended they turn in for the night. Since the upstairs was a lodge they rented two rooms right there and were assured by their new friend Wan that everything was taken care of.

The next day they both woke after a much needed rest to a fine spread of fried eggs and rice with tea. Wan was good to his word and seemed to revel in the opportunity to pay back some mysterious debt to his uncle.

While Wan went out of his way to make them comfortable, Ron sensed some discomfort from Shego, he finally asked her as they were getting on the ferry boat, "What's with the jitters?"

She actually seemed flustered as she attempted to phrase her response. "It's nothing, I have lived in a lot worse as far as lairs go, and well I hate to ask- but I thought you were some sort of Naco Millionaire, why did we sleep in a wharf rat motel above a pub last night?"

Ron had honestly not given it a thought. He was tired so he just laid his head down on the nearest pillow. It really was a matter of 'why not' in his mind…

"Well after someone gave me the humbling experience of losing millions of dollars," he paused and gave her a re-assuring smile when he saw the chagrined look on her face,

"I realized that money really wasn't everything. As cliché as that sounds it was true. So honestly I only tap into the ol' fundage whenever I need to travel or get something. Otherwise I don't give it much thought…I hope you weren't uncomfortable, were you."

She really didn't know what to say, so she just shook her head and looked out the window at the busy harbor traffic.

They carried on for some time in amicable silence. At one point she had leaned towards him as she shivered from a stiff salt tinged breeze. He had instinctively wrapped his arm around her to protect and warm her. He tensed initially expecting her to rip his arm off and beat him with it. Instead she only briefly paused before snuggling in tighter to his side and rested contentedly as she dozed briefly.

The drive up the mountain topped island was amazing. He could see what Wan referred to as many of the ancient statues were reduced to rubble by a combination of war, weather and general elements.

They were unexpectedly greeted by a robed Buddhist monk at the courtyard to the Po Lin Monastery.

Returning his respectful bow Ron was further surprised by the man's introduction, "I am Sheah. We have been expecting you for some time Ron Stoppable and have followed your progress as the Chosen One for some time. It is our hope that you may find answers to your questions here. My brothers will be readily available to you throughout your stay. Please give our best to Sensei and convey our heartfelt wish for him to visit again soon."

Shego was totally lost by this point and was about to demand an explanation before she was stunned silent as she watched Ron's jaw set firmly and give her a resolute glance that seemed to say 'I'll explain later' and 'Follow my lead'; before he replied,

"You honor me with your assistance and humble me with your kindness. May I be so bold to ask that the same courtesy be extended to my companion…Shego?"

The wizened old man looked at Ron as if he was daft, "But of course! It was foretold that the Bloom would accompany you."

"Uh, sure…again thank you for your hospitality" finished Ron, now slightly puzzled himself.

Sheah indicated for them to follow another similarly dressed monk towards the large Tain Tian Buddha.

As they began to ascend the longest set of stairs either had ever seen she nudged him. "OK, it looks like we have a little time til' the next carnival ride…care to explain what that was all about."

Ron realized that he would have to come clean if he were ever to have anything between them. He still wasn't sure about how much to tell her, but she had been totally upfront and straight with him. So he figured 'why the hell not'….

"Well I guess I should start with who my 'friends' are that trained me…" he began and proceeded to fill her in on all the parts he had left out in their numerous previous conversations. By the time they were nearing the top she had received a pretty thorough cliff notes version of his whole Mystical Monkey Power saga…or at least as much as he knew about.

He finished with, "…and I have no idea what that reference to you as the Bloom meant. Otherwise that's about it."

She had suspected some parts and been privy to others by overhearing rants from Monkey Fist over poker games or conventions.

The whole story was another thing completely. _All that power and he is still an honest and good guy. He has that bad streak but all said he has treated me better in the last couple of days than all of the dates in my life…combined. I can see why he initially kept those parts to himself, but why did he trust me with that much sensitive information?_

For obvious reasons she was a bit conflicted. So she decided the frontal approach was the best,

"What makes you think I won't use this knowledge against you?" she asked bluntly.

He didn't think long on his reply, "Trust. It really is all I can count on any more. I wasn't making that up the other night with KP. You really have been the most trustworthy person in my life lately." They paused a few feet from the summit and faced each other, in the shadow of the huge bronze statue.

He continued, "I want to be honest with you Shego. Always. As of this moment there is very little you don't know about me. Nothing important anyways. If we can keep it that way between both of us…well I think that could be something pretty amazing to build off of.

"What I said the other night, was true… I have always found you attractive and well, honestly the whole bad girl thing doesn't bother me. In fact I wouldn't want you any other way."

She had listened to and more importantly felt every one of his words. She could not detect one ounce of deceit in them. She was on pretty unfamiliar territory here.

And then something stirred in her. Not like some Kleenex or Hallmark commercial where every one gets all teary eyed, something deeper…down where she kept her primal rage that fueled her in battle.

She felt an almost physical pull towards him. Her hand seemed to move of its own accord to his chest. His similarly moved unbidden to the back of her neck and brushed a very sensitive spot on her spine- sending shivers down to her feet.

The connection was felt by both as their eyes locked. Emerald melted into brown orbs and vice versa. Their other hands ensnared each other pulling into a growing and fierce embrace.

As their faced drew closer he had to know for sure, "Last chance to back out…"

She smiled replying with a challenging gleam in her eyes, "if you are as good as advertised, you're gonna have a hard time getting away…"

And with that their mouths met in a searing kiss. The monks fortunate enough to be working outside were amused at first; it seemed two tourists were making out.

They were then awed as they witnessed a brilliant light issue forth from the couple. 1 half blue the other emerald green… it flooded the surrounding monastery, the statue and surrounding countryside for a full minute!

Ron and Shego were both oblivious.

Their only thoughts at the moment was the time honored debate over _how do I continue this amazing kiss without passing out from lack of oxygen?_

As always the unpleasent prospect of hypoxia won out…

They eased their lips apart but refused to break the perfect fit of their embrace.

"WOW!" they said in unison.

"I don't even want to play the jinx game, unless it scores me another one of those kisses…" joked Ron.

Before he could follow up the joke with a kiss he was startled by a motion out of the corner of his eye…

All of the monks within sight were on their knees facing him and Shego! And it sounded like they were chanting…

"Ron what are they saying, what is that chant?" asked Shego as she grabbed his arm a bit tighter and took in what was happening around them.

"I'm not sure, my Japanese is only passable and I can barely ask where's the bathroom in Chinese…"

A voice interrupted from above and behind them, it was Sheah at the top most landing of the Tain Tian Monument, "Do not fear, they only wish to pay respect for the honor of witnessing a passage of the prophecy…"

"Which prophecy? It seems like Sensei breaks out a different one every time I turn around…" started Ron.

"Surely you must be jesting, the most important one concerning you…and her…The Blade and the Bloom.

While he was unaware of what the old man was referring to he could not deny that a connection had just been made. He wanted to say that it was everything he had not felt with the few other girls in his life…but that somehow felt cheap and wrong. It dawned on him that it didn't need to be explained…it just felt so right.

Shego oddly took it all in stride. Despite her seemingly short fuse in the temperament department she actually possessed a rather developed sense of self. Not that she was overly self centered, more like the result of being the only green skinned kid in the school and being tasked to protect all the bullies that made fun of you. It breeds a level of introspection that was serving her well right now.

_He might be it! Man, this is moving fast but its not like I haven't known him, just unfortunately didn't notice him earlier. The way he kisses, the way he treats me, the way he kisses, the way he holds me, the way he kisses, the way he looks at me, the way he kisses, the way he makes me feel, the way he kisses…doh! I gotta think on this more when I clear my head from that kiss._

Ron respectfully asked the monk to continue the tour.

"While I believe you have already found what you were sent here to find, we would be honored to have you explore our home here in the hills.

While the whole monument was exactly as in his dream, Ron felt the man was right…he had indeed found something he had been missing. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what it was…

Despite the small current of almost visible electricity that seemed to pulsate between their entwined hands and constantly sneaking glances at each other as if they were seeing each other for the first time; they did enjoy the rest of the expedition. The Po Lin monastery was fascinating, the Gateway- breath taking but what captivated the majority of their attention was each other.

They had a small afternoon meal with Sheah and several of the elder Monks and made ready to head back down the mountain.

After conveying their gratitude they turned to leave when Shego broke away from Ron and did something that would be whispered about in the Monastery for much time to come.

She picked up a medium sized rock, about the size of a base ball. She held it firmly in her fist and lit up her plasma, then alternated it between both hands as she moved her fingers in exacting motions.

She walked back to Sheah and presented him a perfectly smooth sphere. Seamlessly etched into it was a mural of a flower and a blade. She wasn't sure where the pattern came from in her head, but it seemed fitting given all the muttering she had heard all day to that effect.

"I wanted to leave you a token of my appreciation. I believe I too found something today. Though I was unaware I was looking for it." With a respectful bow she turned and rejoined Ron on the road down hill where the truck was waiting.

Smiling Ron didn't say a word as he just nodded in approval of her gift.

Back at the temple Sheah dispatched a runner to collect a scroll to confirm the prophecy. Looking it over he was pleased when he read aloud to his brothers,

"The flourishing Bloom will give of her gift unaware of the honor she bestows…". The crystallized sphere was reverently laid to rest at the center of their most beloved shrine.

**Later that evening…**

**Hong Kong, China**

**Admiralty Suite, JW Marriott, 27th floor overlooking Victoria harbor**

"Listen Ron I wasn't implying anything earlier, this is a bit much don't you think?" said Shego as the elevator opened up into the foyer of their exquisitely prepared suite.

"Nonsense. I would have wanted us to have at least adjoining rooms, and this suite is basically a 3 room apartment, so bingo, accommodations issue settled. Also this hotel is situated at a few major transportation hubs so we can get to just about anything we want from here." he smiled as he watched her wide eyed inspection of the room.

She caught his smile and looked him up an down, "If I didn't know any better Mr. Stoppable...I'd say you're trying to impress me." She cooed a bit more seductively than she probably realized.

Fighting back the flutters in his stomach he watched as she stalked towards him with a measured and lithe approach…_so this is how those zebra feel when the lioness prowls towards them…_he thought as his hand brushed up on a welcome life line,

"Want me to order room service?" she kept walking towards him,

"Anything you want…" she wrapped one arm up around his neck and the opposite leg around his,

"any food you want…?"

She purred in response, "Maybe later, I am skipping to dessert..."

She could tell he was used to being the initiator in these matters so she decided to keep him off balance a bit.

She threw him across to the luxurious plush couch…and pounced.

Instantly they were embroiled in a torrent of passionate kisses.

Tentatively at first and then with utter abandon their hands explored each other's bodies.

As his right hand reached behind her back and down her pants and cupped her ass, pulling her tighter down on top of him; his left ventured up the front of her blouse and encircled her ample breasts in turn.

Her gasp in response was greeted by a trail of mild nibbles down her neck until he deftly unbuttoned her blouse with is teeth.

With a rather ungraceful thump they rolled off the couch onto the bear skin rug in front of the fire in front of the fire place. Not missing a beat they began a series of little contests for top position in which articles of clothes were readily thrown to the wind.

They made short work of their clothes.

Their passion soon was reaching a frantic pace as he slowly worked his way down between her perfect breasts, nibbling slightly on each nipple as she arched her back to his mouth. He left a sensual trail of kisses down her taut belly until he was soon burying his tongue into her dripping and expectant womanhood. She arched her hips up to him while grabbing the back of his head and pulling him tighter…

The screams of a mind numbing orgasm that soon issued forth made him glad they were on the top floor with no neighbors.

Coming down from her high she gently prodded him up to her mouth and kissed him deeply. She rolled him onto his back and stopped his initial protest with a look that clearly said 'Pay back's a bitch'…

As she took his head into her mouth, he knew he could not last long under the ministrations of those silky lips. She felt his reluctance and urged him to relax and enjoy it. Taking his entire member into her mouth was difficult to say the least and she was almost happy when she tasted the first indication that he was close. As he came he tried to pull away but she stayed him once again; surprising him by greedily keeping every drop.

Sweaty and more than mildly spent she started to get up when she felt him wrap his arms around her and scoop her up into his strong arms and walk into the bed room.

Figuring they were just going to sleep she smiled back at him to make some remark or another when she saw a lustful and determined look in his face.

She was very surprised to see that someone was ready to go again already…

Laying her down on the oversized bed he marveled for a moment at how beautiful she looked. Then a look almost reminiscent of Zorpox crossed his face,

"I think it's time you find out about the many perks of Mystical Monkey Powers…starting with stamina."

Needless to say they got very little sleep that night, but blissfully slept very long into the next morning…

**_To be continued…_**


	5. Ch 5 Rage & Reason

**A/N**: The response to the last chapter was awesome! I really appreciate all of your reviews-even when they definitively kept me honest! ;)

Specifically I want to thank **Lord Zander, atom-of-ice, reviewer not a writer, Egohan, Samurai Crunchbird, zardoz 101, Limby, spectre666, axt, Obliviandragon, DJ Duncan & JPElles.**

I'd like to pay special thanks to **Quis Custodiet** and **eoraptor**! They took some time out to help mentor me in the craft and I wanted to take the chance to express my gratitude.

Once again I apologize about those false Chapter Update Alerts that were sent out about a week ago- I was just trying to clean up some earlier chapters and apparently stumbled upon "the Big Red Button' and posted them as new chapters. I appreciate your patience with the goof up.

On a side note the head nod to **mkusenagi2** 's character 'The Rook' in my last chapter was intentional. I really dig the way he has worked that series and it was my subtle homage paid to him. The Rook in my story is just what I referred to-Ron's Vietnam Vet Uncle- nothing more…sort of. If this story plays out well you may very well hear of him again.

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: This is Disney's world. I'm just playing in it. And if any of my old military buddies see character similarities or even their names in here…figure out who's writing this, you know where I live.

**The Blade & The Bloom**

**Chapter 5: **_**Rage & Reason**_

**Middleton, CO**

_What am I doing? I should be finding out what the hell happened with Ron! _

_I mean 17 years and its….suddenly…over? Honestly I guess it has been building for some time…since that day in the park…Why didn't I accept his advice and help more? _

_No! The real question was why was he there with SHEGO of all people? Yeah! What has he been doing with that no-good, piece of…_

These were the very distracted and jumbled thoughts of one red-headed heroine as she negotiated the mid-day traffic of Middleton.

"It's over Kim. I don't even care that you're here with some other guy tonight; batting your dammed lashes, dipping that shoulder at him…you don't even realize you do that do you? Heh, you don't."

His words from the night before seemed to be on a continuous loop in her mind.

_I don't really do all that stuff…do I?_ She thought back to how her mom seemingly unconsciously did something similar to Blake last night…_Well even if I do- He even admitted that she was there with him and had been "honest" with him. What ever that means…_

"KP, you have been my best friend all my life and part of me will always love you. But we both know that this has been coming….maybe more than you realized. I just ask that you be true to your heart and do the right thing from here on out."

_When did he go all Zen like that?_ She thought back and realized she really couldn't put a finger on when; but Ron had developed a far more literate and confident tone over recent…years? When did she loose touch of her best friend?

She shook her head and re-focused on the task at hand. She had been pretty fired up and rather poor company the remainder of last night.

Blake had been more than understandable that their "Not Date" had been broken up so spectacularly. He drove her home in silence and didn't press the issue once. He wished her well at her door, and let her know that he was available if she needed a friendly ear.

She felt it was the right thing to apologize for dragging him into this. For some reason though she felt compelled to drive over and do so in person. He really had been awesome about everything and prior to the whole blow out, she had been having a great time.

As she approached the Rockweller estate she had just about convinced her self completely that this was the right thing to do. _Just a friendly 'I'm sorry my ex and his hussy almost burned the place around us and I'll be on my way._

_Yeah right._

Her second thoughts were starting to get the better of her when she pulled by the gates and saw him coming out the front door with a large crate.

In a very Un-Kim like moment, reminiscent of her "Mankey Crushing" days, she panicked. She spurted the accelerator past the gates and parked up the block a ways.

Reigning in her emotions she thought,

_What the hell was that? It's just Blake. Sure he is hot, but I have far too much baggage right now to be tangling up his life…_

Deciding she would just walk up and tell him sorry and leave; she got out of the car and started walking back up the block towards the gate.

Reaching the gate she saw him arranging some gear in the bed of his truck and her eye caught a glint of something she was not prepared for…

_Is that a gun case? Are those ammo crates?_

Immediately going into "I can do anything" mode, she crouched back to the sparse shadows of a near by grove of trees. Putting on her 'custom shades' she dialed in the zoom feature to get a better idea of what was going on.

Another man exited the front door. He was a burly 6'3" scraggly looking guy with a recently grown beard and medium to long brown hair. He had on Oakley sun glasses, and wore a black t-shirt and jeans with boots similar to style and cut of what Blake was wearing.

In his arms was a case that left little to the imagination. It was a custom Pelican case for a Long Rifle.

If she had any question in her mind it was put to rest when he hefted it onto the tail gate with some effort and pulled out a .50 caliber Barrett SASSER. The distinctive silhouette of the weapon left little to the imagination, and given the almost 2000 meter range of the weapon- it's targets rarely ever got to see it even this close.

Over the course of the next few minutes she watched as the two men ferried out a veritable arsenal and deposited it in the bed of the truck. Finishing with a cooler and some other cases that looked to house some sensitive equipment that they put in the cab; they tied a tarp down over the gear in the back and got in.

She just barely found cover in time as they drove out the gate.

Rushing to her car she pulled up the Kimmunicator and beeped Wade.

"Hey Kim, I heard a bit about last night from police reports…"

"Hold that thought! I need a single car surveillance package placed near my position. Target is a white F-250 Super Duty approximately ½ mile to my north on Fairway Drive. I need it 5 minutes ago." She chided herself internally for her tone but she was in no mood to explain last night to Wade and wanted to focus on this new mystery.

"Bringing satellites on line now. What is this about anyways?"

"I'm not too sure but I think my 'NOT Date' from last night is defiantly NOT what he says he is…"

"OK for those of us in the cheap seats, care to elaborate?"

"Actually maybe you can shed some light on it for me. Pull up a full background check on Blake Rockweller, cross reference military and/or criminal entries."

"All right, give me a sec….Got it! Hmmmm?"

Wade was jerked from a rather drawn out and thoughtful sigh by a VERY impatient "WADE! SPILL! NOW!" Then realizing how that came out she amended, "...uh….Please and Thank you?"

"Well first off I have a satellite lock on his truck so you can back off pursuit and follow the path I am routing to your GPS at approximately 45 MPH. That should keep you out of sight…"

"And the background?" She interrupted with a bit more impatience than she could suppress.

"Well that's just it. I got nothing of substance. My programs usually pull up everything down to child hood dental records, but here all I can find is…well the basics."

"So this is telling us what?"

"Actually a lot if you read between the lines. Top of his class at Stryder Military Prep School, again top honors at Annapolis where he was minted a 2nd LT in the Marine Corps. Volunteered for and graduated their basic course in Coronado for Amphibious Reconnaissance, was deployed to Iraq in 2003 then…nothing really."

"What do you mean nothing, you're a bloody genius, what do you mean nothing?" the stress of the last few days was finally taking its toll on her last nerve.

"All right first off you need to settle down and lay off the accelerator unless you want to end up rear ending him soon." He passed her a friendly smile over her cars heads up display when he saw her speed come down and her driving steady out. He continued,

"See Marine Corps officers usually don't stay in one position for very long- certainly not 3-4 years as a platoon commander like this suggests. They have to keep moving up in leadership roles as they promote. By now with his record he should be a Captain with a company under his command."

"And…?" She prodded as he paused.

"Well I literally have no substantial entries after he deployed to Iraq. I got a couple W2's, a few electric bills and some very vague performance evaluations. I mean he doesn't even have a home address. It's almost like he doesn't exist."

"Wade he is driving the truck you are tracking- he certainly exists."

"According to all electronic data I have…worldwide…he hasn't left the airport since he came back from Iraq."

"So what am I following- a ghost?" she sarcastically retorted.

"No, my guess is that someone with some serious juice made sure he became VERY low profile, only people I know with this capability are NSA, DOD and well…"

"And who!?!" she could tell he was holding something back.

"Well I did some contracting work for the CIA and I'm not really supposed to share this. The thing is some of the Cold War spooks that got canned after the Fall of Communism sort of went free lance and started helping drug cartels that could afford their services…'erase' their enforcers."

"Enforcers?" she asked not really wanting to know the definition he was skirting around.

"You know guys that enforce their boss's demands. And I'm not talking cheesy Italian hit man movie stuff either. These guys are pros with some serious firepower. Seriously Kim you may want to back off this one."

Thinking back on the arsenal in the back of that truck she did not like that train of thought.

"All right I'll keep my distance but I need to know what the hell is going on here."

"Looks like you'll get your chance. He just stopped out at the old rock quarry. Let me route you the satellite feed."

She pulled over and checked out the 'sitch'.

There were 4 medium duty trucks of different makes and models lined up in almost perfect formation at the south end of the quarry. They all had their tailgates down oriented towards the quarry and an almost ¾ mile of open lot ending in a huge gravel pile.

There were 7 men working on a wide assortment of equipment ranging from sniper rifles to medical equipment. Once again the order of the day seemed to be "vague". All of them wore jeans or khaki work pants. All wore comfortable fitting tops with little in the way of distinctive markings. The closest thing to fancy attire was one guy wearing a beat up Boston Red Sox baseball cap. Most all were sporting beards in various degrees of growth.

Something else was bothering her about the men, besides of course the obvious firepower. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

It was probably just her frayed nerves over the last few days, but despite better judgment and Wade's protests she signed off with instructions that if she didn't check back in 30 minutes to beep the Kimmunicator 1st and if no response- call in the cavalry.

She quickly memorized the map and estimated that her best route to a solid observation point would be to circle west around a small hill and up a sparsely vegetated draw. If she used the terrain just right she should be able to get within 100 to 200 meters before the gravel of the quarry would make it impossible to get closer.

Things were progressing 'spankin' when she noted that the vegetation was thinning out as she approached the draw. She decided to sit for a second in some bushes and asses the area ahead of her.

Something was still nagging the back of her mind. Something she felt she should have noticed…

_Nah probably my sub conscious just noting my 'partner' isn't here_…she thought bitterly as she got up and made the best of the terrain.

Then it clicked.

Just as she was scooting across a somewhat exposed portion of her approach…

_They were all working and facing towards their trucks! As if they didn't have a care in the world about security…as if they knew…_

Just then she heard the distinctive noise of a rifle's safety being 'clicked' off.

…_that someone had them covered-shit…rookie mistake. _

"Miss, it would be an awful shame to have to put this weapon to use, would you be so kind as to come along peacefully. My boss would like to have a talk with you." Came the firm and clear voice of a…shrub?

She could easily make out the source of the voice but for the life of her she could not see where it was coming from. Deciding to go with the flow and talk to whoever was in charge she visibly relaxed…"Sure, whatever you say- I'm unarmed"

Seemingly from nowhere a man in a ghillie suit and full sniper kit materialized from the shrubs to her right. _Man! David Copperfield aint' got shit on this guy_…she thought.

Unexpectedly the shadow where his face should be cracked in half, as a bright white smile could be seen, "With all due respect, if what the rags say about Kim Possible is true, 'unarmed' don't make me feel too warm and fuzzy. If you wouldn't mind, please lead the way out to the others.'

She was surprised to note such a professional and downright…polite demeanor to the man who just morphed from the ground. She knew he was safely out of reach of any defensive move and seemed to vary his position behind her at random. With out looking she knew that he had calculated just about every vector of her escape.

After working around those undisciplined dolts that Drakken and the others hired, it was almost refreshing to be captured by someone who took their job as seriously as she did.

Almost.

Either way she was confident that this would prove to be an interesting conversation. She found her self hoping that Blake had just somehow accidentally gotten involved with these guys, whoever they were. She hadn't seen one uniform and frankly they just didn't 'move' or look like regular army grunts.

Which left the option Wade had skirted around and…well her mind just wasn't ready to go there.

Deciding to try and lighten the mood a bit she joked back to her escort as they approached the line of trucks, "So I suppose this is where I say 'Take me to your leader'? Please just don't tell me he wears a helmet or has some crazy colored skin…"

"You didn't seem to mind him too much at dinner last night." Came a familiar voice from behind the first truck, "Thanks Whiskey, I got it from here."

"Sure thing Boss, Miss, it's been a pleasure." The ghillie suited sniper said as he departed.

_Boss? Well there went the accident theory!_ She thought quickly, before saying with a bit of a smirk,

"Well I must say that was the single most polite abduction I have ever experienced."

"Considering your track record I'll take that as a compliment. But who said anything about abduction? You were spying on us. This is private land, but it's still a free country, you're free to go…" then he cracked a down right devious grin, "but you won't".

"Oh and why is that!?!" she bristled at his overly confident insinuation.

"Because your analytical mind couldn't leave this alone if you tried. I'm sure by now you have had you tech guru try and check me out, to no avail. You see a bloody arsenal out here and a bunch of guys you just can't quite put your finger on…"

"So help me, if you start to monologue like a super villain…"

He smiled, "No, nothing that nefarious! Tell you what. I actually did a little checking myself and it turns out you do have the clearances…so you're welcome to stick around and I'll introduce you to my team."

"Team? What is this, who the hell are you, who are they…"

"Easy. One thing at a time. 'This' as you put it is a training evolution. 'I' am the Team Leader for a prototype unit. We are designated as SOCOM/NSA, DET 1, Team 2. Since that is a mouthful and we represent every branch of the military, we call ourselves "The Bastards".

Kim's mind was understandably a little slow to kick into gear; she eventually formulated a question, "So you're black ops?"

"Sort of…the Global War on Terror has highlighted some glaring deficiencies in our ability to act on Intel. My first tour in Iraq I was with Marine Recon and we were utilized as a swift mechanized scout/vanguard for the invasion force. Totally out of character for a bunch of leathernecks who were trained to sneak and peak in the woods and try NOT to be found.

Green Berets were still doing great work training indigenous personnel, SEALs had the coast wrapped up, Air Force CCT and PJs were turnin' and burnin' as always. But it seemed that the gears weren't jiving as smoothly as they could.

So myself and a few people with A LOT more clout than me started coming up with some ideas for a sort of pilot program if you will. We wanted to see if we could bring all of those skill sets into one team and make their mission statement more 'flexible' so they weren't hindered by the red tape that a lot of agencies are."

Sounding familiar to her she interrupted, "Isn't that what Delta Force is for?"

He smiled as he explained, "I can tell you are well versed. We are a Tier 1 asset the same as them, we differ in that we have an equal showing of each service in each experimental team. Also we have a rather 'unique' arrangement with the DOD, NSA and even Global Justice that allows us more freedom of movement than a lot of folks."

Seeing the wisdom in this Kim nodded as she processed this new information. It all made perfect sense in this light. The non-descript vehicles and highly trained operatives with no background.

She didn't have too long to think about this as she was startled by a teeth shattering…

"KABOOOM!"

"What the hell was that!?!" she partially yelled due to the ringing in her ears.

Grinning Blake handed her some Peltor ear phones. "Oh, that's just Dan on the Barrett, he just got that puppy back from the company and has been dying to sight it in. That's part of why we came out here; we needed an out of the way place with some range for weapons practice."

As she put the head phones on she realized they actually amplified normal speech but shut off all sound when the noise level got loud.

"Pretty neat." She said indicating the Peltors. "Alright, as much as I hate to admit… you called it. There is no way in hell I am leaving until I get the whole story" she said in a tone that invited no argument.

Attempting to hide his broadening smile he motioned for her to follow him as he walked up to the firing line.

As they came up he began to introduce the team, "We are a 10 Man team that is split into two elements Alpha and Bravo. I am the leader for Alpha and over all in charge of the team. My right hand man is Master Seargent Sarnes…" he tapped a man working on the sites of an M-4 Carbine. He turned around to reveal a lean, bearded face to match his physique. Salt and pepper hair topped a face that portrayed a wealth of wisdom and more than his share of mirth.

"Howdy, names actually Brett. We don't stand on formality too much around here. Nice to meet ya," he drawled with a definite southern accent.

With his absolutely friendly demeanor she couldn't help but smile, "As am I. What are you working on?" she asked, genuinely wanting to learn as much as she could.

In one smooth motion he cleared the weapon, showing her that it was empty and presented it too her, butt stock first.

Unaccustomed to handling guns she was a little hesitant, but seeing the patient look on his face she hefted the weapon to what she hoped was an appropriate position in the crook of her arm. The forward battle grip seemed to mesh well and she was surprised at how comfortable it was to manipulate.

"We just got in some new Comp 3 Aim Point sights. I am adjusting one on the mount here," he pointed for her where he had some exposed screw heads. "If you swing that out on the range there you'll see how the holographic red dot settles in real pretty like with no need for a front site post."

Doing as indicated she was impressed to see a bright little red dot 'settle in real pretty' where she was pointing.

"Now the trick is getting the damn things wrenched down right so they don't shake loose with all the rounds the Skipper's got us firing out here." he stated with a mischievous grin at Blake.

"Skipper? Like on Gilligan's Island?" she innocently asked, not familiar with the term.

Brett lost it. While he was almost on the ground laughing she turned and found the source of his giggle fit in a severely blushing Blake.

"Brett here is a Green Beret and loves to throw around old nautical terms at all the wrong times-to all the Marines and Sailors chagrin. I am a Captain in the Corps and in some circles Skipper is an honorary used for officers that have _earned respect_…" he emphasized the last part in good humor at the now recovering Brett, "he however loves to throw terms like scuttlebutt and bulk head around to serve his dim-witted attempts at jokes."

She couldn't help but enjoy the good natured banter between the two and could tell that the two men in charge of this outfit had some history and a good working relationship.

Deciding to get him off the hook she asked another question, "By Sailors do you mean Navy SEALs?" she asked. Instantly she noticed a big Mexican on the other side of the truck perk his head up from an enormous roller case of medical supplies.

"Always with the SEALs! No one has ever heard of SARCs! Is it too much to ask, just once, that someone would have heard of us!" came a loud and obviously joking complaint from the man. As he stood she could see one hand was clutching a medical dressing and the other a large stick of C-4 explosive.

"That's cause you boys don't look as good as us on TV. Face it you just ain't good lookin' enough to go main stream. Us SEALs on the other hand have mastered the art of Public Relations…" said a lithe looking man of medium height, very light complexion and a very mischievous grin as he winked at Kim from just beyond the other. She recognized him as the one wearing the old Boston Red Sox cap from her survey earlier.

"Don't you mean you hired Charlie Sheen to put a prettier face on your ugly mugs and rode the free press…"

Blake interrupted with a smirk at the two bantering squids "It would seem you have met my two sailors, the large man unwittingly strangling a stick of C-4 is Rudy a.k.a. 'Doc', the self described PR man is one of my demolitions experts, Chad."

"What does he mean SARC? I can't say I'm familiar with the term…"

"Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman (SARC) he's a medical expert that is also trained in all the same shooting and tactics that Marine Recon teams are. Doc and I go back to my first tour in the Sandbox. He started out as a Sailor but as he puts it- sold his soul to the Corps. Let's just say I owe him more than a few beers for…well" getting a slightly distant look he caught himself and quietly said, "I just owe him".

"Hell, you don't owe me shit Boss." then realizing she was there he amended rather sheepishly, "excuse the language, sorry".

"No big." She said as she smiled at the man who obviously had been through some rough times with Blake.

"Moving on to Dan and Whiskey our two snipers. Dan is the small guy shooting the very big gun over there that caught your attention earlier. Don't bother him right now, he's getting to know his new weapon and well, as odd as it sounds it would be like interrupting a couple on their 1st date." He stated with a goofy grin.

"And you met Whiskey on your way in…"

"Oh you mean the shrub that popped up and escorted me in?" she smirked.

"That would be him. That critter can disappear in the middle of a dessert at high noon. Kinda creepy in all honesty…" he confirmed.

"Ain't going to do him a lick a' good if I call in a B-1 and carpet bomb the damn place" noted a person chuckling softly to himself as he sat on an ammo can working on a radio.

He qualified as easily the largest black man she had ever seen. He looked like he stepped off the starting line of the Chicago Bears and yet his eyes told a story of many tough lessons learned the hard way.

His grin quickly faded as a nasty looking knife suddenly appeared at the base of his neck.

"Pretty hard to call in rain when you can't breathe…" came the slow, deliberate and slightly accented voice of her earlier escort.

Trying to keep his cool, yet not wanting to risk a sound over a 'gulp' he reached out his left hand to his radio set and began tapping the transmit button repeatedly.

"What in the hell are you doing Steve?" questioned Whiskey as he lowered the blade, "What is it Air Force protocol to start twitching under pressure?" he heckled as he smacked him good naturedly on the shoulder.

"Morse code…I'll still call down hell & brimstone on your hillbilly ass, no matter what rock you crawl out from under." Came his smiling response.

Blake cut in, "As entertaining as you two knuckle heads are, why are you off your post and where are my comms?"

Steve answered for both by pointing to the east at about 500 ft above them, "Predator just came on station." Sure enough you could just make out a tiny outline against the clouds…barely.

"Good to go, now we can get this show on the road" Blake nodded in approval and indicated towards the firing line, "Kit up and be on the line in 10, Comm check in 15." They nodded in return and quickly set to work without a grumble between them.

Kim inquired as they returned to the first truck, "Predator? Don't tell me you have stuff from bad Schwarzennager movies out here?"

He grinned, "No, despite a better budget than I ever had in the Corps-we don't have anything as cool as ol' Arnold beats the bad guys with. Our 'Predator' is an unmanned drone that can be utilized as overhead surveillance and even security. 'Eye in the sky' if you will. Also can boost a radio signal when needed."

"Oh, so is that everyone?"

"Not quite. As usual my two talkers are late…my bet is that's them coming now."

Before she could ask him what he meant by "talkers" a sharp little silver BMW came screeching to a halt in a 90 degree skid. Considering they had been easily doing over 50 mph at the turn and the driver had just executed a perfect sliding stop… on gravel no less; Kim was more than mildly impressed in his skills.

"Do you all drive that well?" she asked under her breath to Blake.

He smiled, nodded and was about to reply but was cut off by a huge commotion as the two occupants of the vehicle spilled out in a bustle of motion and curse words in…Arabic? She listened further then it was...Russian, then French…

She watched in amusement as the two men popped the trunk and rapidly threw on their gear and continued to berate each other in no less than 30 different languages.

Hustling up to their commanding officer they both burst out at the same time trying their best to stay in English while explaining that it was the other guys fault that they were late.

Scowling at each other they quickly reached for their knives to escalate the argument as they both launched into another multi-national cacophony of curses.

Deciding to show a little initiative Kim interrupted, "Excuse me, is that a Stryder Mark -1?" indicating the knife that the Native American looking of the two was wielding.

They both froze. Seeming to realize in unison, the spectacle they were making of themselves the other- smaller but stockier of the two asked in Japanese, "How much do you think she understood of what we said?"

Before he could answer she interrupted again (this time in flawless French) as she the other handed her the blade hilt first,

"I don't presume to possess your grasp of languages, but everyone knows if you're going to curse like that you really should be speaking French! No one has mastered pompous quite like them." she continued with a smile while feeling out the balance of the knife,

"Excellent blade, I have been hoping to get my hands on a few of these for me and Ron- great tools." She commented confidently as she returned the blade to the darker man as he had to her.

"Mademoiselle, please accept our apology…" started the other with a rather silver tongue. She could tell by his self-assured demeanor that he was used to having women melt somewhere between 'Mademoiselle' and the wink he was now giving her.

Fortunately Blake cut him off before she got pissed at his presumptive attitude, "The self delusional ladies man on your right is Reubens De'Quantres . Hailing from parts very south of here he is complimented by my other accomplished interpreter; Dark Elk.

Dark Elk approached her at the same time as Reubens and they seemed to jockey for position of who would greet her first. Reubens won by slipping his head down while grasping and kissing the back of her hand, completing his attempt at suave with an "Echante'…"

"You will have to forgive my colleague's intolerable behavior. He has spent far too much time believing his various cover stories," interrupted Dark Elk, "and please understand we meant no offense by our earlier behavior, we have found it useful in practicing our language skills to let them blow into 'rolling arguments' if you will. They let us work out the various dialects and slang we may need to use."

Impressed by his precise English and very inviting demeanor she found herself puzzled by the agile looking Indian. While powerfully built he was exceedingly graceful in his motions and seemed very exacting in every phrase and movement. His past the collar braided pony tail and shaggy looking khakis and flannel belied what she surmised was a keen intellect.

Noting the perplexed look on her face he decided to fill in the blanks for her, "I am of the Navajo people. My grandfather was one of the 'Windtalkers' that Hollywood recently made a big hoopla about. I am the 3rd generation of these code talkers but have taken it to its next logical level. I have been studying languages most of my life and fortunately El' Capitan here found my unique skills perfect for his little band of marauding misfits."

"What Dark Elk is accustomed to leaving out of his bio is that he and Reubens here are two of the best Intel guys around. They were both hand picked early in their military careers to be 'loaned' out to various three letter agencies (NSA, CIA, etc.) for their skills," noting the alarmed look on their faces he assured them, "don't worry boys, she has the clearance and I vouch for her."

"Good enough for me" they said with a shrug and headed off towards the firing line to get ready.

Watching them head off she noted a sort of nostalgic pride come over Blake's face as he watched his men gather up and prep for their upcoming exercise. His expression spoke volumes to just how much he cared for and respected the men he led and it honestly stirred something in her that she just could not put her finger on.

Noticing the inquisitive look on her face he shook his head and motioned for her to follow him to his truck. All the gear from earlier had been stripped out while they were walking about; leaving only his large green jump bag.

As he spoke he unabashedly stripped down to shirt and boxers and began jumping into his fatigues and gear. He talked as he worked…

"Kim I have to admit you have taken this better than I expected. You have just met 9 highly trained men that according to the world wide grid-don't exist. Not to mention the fact that you caught me in a rather big lie," then he added with a smile, "not that you hadn't seen through it on your own last night."

She thought about her response. For some reason she felt as if she was on uneven footing here, which was not common for her. She met heads of state and major power brokers around the worked regularly with no problem; but for some reason she was concerned about this man and by extension his team's impression of her.

"I guess my curiosity got the better of me. I'll be honest I had some pretty wild ideas about what you were up to as I was coming up here and frankly the truth was far more palatable than what my imagination was cookin' up."

He cracked a very mischievous grin, "Let me guess, drug running enforcers that had cold war spies wipe my record clean?"

She couldn't help but do a goldfish impression as she tried to figure out how he possibly knew exactly what her and Wade had discussed.

"No Kim I'm not clairvoyant, and I don't have you bugged. Steve is a PJ/CCT for the Air Force and well I don't even want to know where Reubens got all of his tech knowledge but between the two of them I can crack any signal within a few hundred meters of my position at all times. We heard your whole conversation with Wade on the way up here."

She honestly did not know what to say to that. So she just nodded with a slightly blushing face as she re-assessed just how incredibly capable these men were.

"Kim this is an honest to God multi-purpose tool box of the best operators in the US military" he said with a far more serious note, "I am responsible for their safety and the security of this team. I need your assurance that everything here is kept in strict confidence."

Again she was startled by how strikingly different he was than the man she met the day before in a coffee shop. She noted that his 'mask' was completely gone and she was seeing the true Blake Rockweller at his finest and in his element. She wondered how many people ever got to see this and realized that she was unwittingly attracted to the mystique of it all.

"Blake I'll admit I'm a bit over whelmed by everything I have learned but I can assure you beyond a shadow of a doubt…I'm 100 on board with this", she hesitated to add how she felt but then added, "I'm honored that you trusted me enough to let me in."

With a nod of understanding he zipped up the last of his gear and clipped his customized M-4/203 to its single point sling on his chest. He was about to speak when,

Beep Beep Da Beep!

He smiled as she reached for her Kimmunicator. "Say hi to Wade for me and tell him I can have Steve show him how to tighten that frequency to deter detection if he wants. I have to go and get these drills moving before they hang a disco ball and call it party time. You're welcome to stay and watch, I'll talk to you tonight either way…"

Not sure exactly what to say she simply nodded and pulled out the device,

"What's the sitch Wade?" she barked a bit harsher than she intended due to being interrupted.

"Easy there KP! I was worried and just calling in like you said at the 30 minute mark. Everything O…"

Budda, Budda, BAM! Bam, Bam, bam, bam…..the echo of 10 high powered rifles suddenly cut off the young genius.

"Don't worry Kim I'll get GJ there in…"

She cut him off, "NO! I'm fine Wade. Turns out things were not how they appeared. I'll find out how much I can fill you in on in later, but do NOT call in the cavalry." She looked back at the firing line where the men were moving and covering each other, shooting ridiculously close to each other as they bounded and shot with incredible accuracy.

"Frankly Wade I would be hard pressed to find a safer place to be."

She signed off and sat on a tail gate and watched the men work on their small unit tactics.

There were a series of small rooms erected out of ply wood and numerous targets placed inside and out. The 10 drastically different men seemed to flow like water from one place to another as a single living entity. One man would barely lift his weapon, not even seem to aim and a target would suddenly have two holes in its chest and one dead center of the head.

She watched for several hours in rapt attention. They went through numerous drills involving demolitions, simulated casualties, radio communications and other things she couldn't quite identify. All of it with a pretty continuous stream of live fire pouring forth from whoever was not actively employed.

The odd thing was that no one seemed to need to talk. Even Blake only muttered a few small things when necessary probably commenting on performance more than issuing commands. It seemed that everyone intuitively knew exactly what to do and when to do it.

Over the course of those few hours it occurred to her that this is what a "TEAM" actually looked like. She had been on cheer leading teams, and sports teams and hell, was even the leader of Team Possible but she realized then and there that she had never before this day witnessed a true team.

The thing that struck her to the core was how effortlessly Blake led them. She could tell by their expressions and interactions that the men of his team would willingly and unquestioningly go in to Hell and back without a second thought with their leader.

_How does he do it?_

She remembered how she felt always at odds with someone or another on the cheer leading team when she was the captain, and even lately with Ron and Wade with Team Possible.

She also noted that this quality above all others got her attention when it came to the tall, dark and handsome Marine.

As all these thoughts tumbled through her mind she noticed the men breaking from their endeavors and pulling off their gear as they returned towards the trucks, grabbed some water and circled up around the far vehicle. Blake was in the center and had a clipboard and pen out.

"All right, debrief points. We started with BZO then moved to room clearing and man-down drills…" he proceed to outline the days activities then point out a few small discrepancies. Every time he had a negative comment she noted that he ended the statement with a positive observation."

"All right that sums up what I saw, round table, Master Sergeant what did you see?"

He listened carefully and took careful notes on each comment as around the circle each man gave careful analysis to possible improvements and noted deficiencies. They were brutally honest in criticizing their own performance.

Kim watched it all in rapt fascination. _Where is all the chest pounding, testosterone induced bravado you see on the military movies? I thought Tom Cruise jumped out of the cockpit, Hi-Fived, said something witty and then everyone drank enormous amounts of beer. _

Kim was totally blown away by the total professionalism she was seeing and the humility each man displayed in front of his peers by noting his own faults and bravery in noting his buddy's mistakes with such calm assurance.

_Why didn't I ever ask Ron his thoughts on missions like this? Wade must have had some opinions on where we could have improved…_slowly realization dawned on Kim Possible as to where some of the problems had originated in her team's lack of cohesion.

_They both grew into their roles while I failed to grow into mine as a leader_.

The thought was sobering…but honest.

After each man said his piece they all looked expectantly at Blake as he was scribbling down some final notes.

"All right, good work men. Excellent wrap up to the training packages we all have been scattered to for the last few months. We're going to need to tighten down the loose bolts we identified today but overall I say we're sitting about where we want to be in terms of prep. Those of you that want to brush up on noted pointers from today the range is yours. If you're up for it I have set up a tab at Sharkey's downtown. Feel free and I'll try and join ya'll when I wrap up here."

Expecting everyone to jump at the 'free beer sign' that had just been posted Kim was floored when every member of the team put their kit back on, re-loaded ammo and went back out to practice on what they felt they needed improvement.

A slightly weary looking Blake approached her and smiled as he unclipped his weapon from its sling. Reading her flabbergasted expression for what it was he answered her unstated question with an expression near and dear to elite troops the world over,

"Amateurs do it til' they get it right, Professionals do it til' they can't fuck it up."

She nodded seeing the wisdom for what it was, learned from years of hard earned experience. And it appealed to her assertive, almost obsessive compulsive need to be the best.

"Blake I can't put into words how impressed I am with your team. This is some next level stuff. I learned more watching today than in the last year of GJ training sessions."

"Well if you like we're basically on free train time; I can show you the basics. I know you are a crime fighter in your own right, but gun fighting is a whole different ball game. What do ya think?"

She didn't hesitate, "Sure!" then with a sly grin added, "you know for another 'NOT Date' you sure know how to show a girl a good time!"

**Hong Kong, China**

**Admiralty Suite, JW Marriott, 27****th**** floor overlook Victoria harbor**

Ron awoke to the sound of a running shower.

More than a little disoriented by the globetrotting voyage, revealing mountain trek and what was that void?...oh yeah! MIND BLOWING sex.

He looked over to the small dresser and saw that Rufus had made him self a comfy looking bed out of some towels and was sleeping peacefully nestled in it.

Ron thought about his little buddy for a bit as he cleared his head. _He sure took to Shego quickly. It seemed that he almost expected me to end up with her…nah, __no one__ could have seen that coming. He has seemed a bit, I don't know… different since I picked him up from Wade. I'll have to make sure and spend some quality time with him, things have just been crazy lately…speaking of which…_

His eyes wondered to the open bathroom door where a low hanging cloud of steam indicated Shego was making the most of the luxurious oversized shower. A wicked grin split across his face as he approached silently.

The floor to ceiling, clear glass doors were slightly fogged but not enough to obscure the vision that took his breath away. Framed by the ornate marble tiling was a mint colored goddess. Her back was to him and he found him self mesmerized by the subtle motion of her massaging the fragrant shampoo into her raven locks. Her hair was now sud soaked and matted against her silky skin teasing all the way down to her perfectly formed ass.

Steadying his breathing and attempting miserably to regain his focus he silently stalked his prey.

Thanking whatever mechanical deity oversaw fine craftsmanship he noiselessly opened the door and slipped in behind her.

Taking fate into his hands he slowly slipped his arms around her waste and caressed her ample breasts…

BAM! Crack Bang!

He found himself looking up at the ceiling and the aforementioned goddess and deciding that sneaking up on one of the world's most dangerous villains in the shower was NOT one of his brightest moves.

"Oh, Ron I'm so sorry- wait- what in the hell were you thinking?!?"

"Uh, romantic interlude or something like that…care to lend a hand up…preferably not plasma charged…" he hedged with a joking smile and a hint of concern in his voice.

"OH!" she doused her plasma that she had instinctively flared up after dropping her assailant to the deck, "sure, you're not hurt are you?"

He chuckled as she helped him up and he felt himself brushing against her exquisitely sculpted anatomy, "Even if I was" looking her up and down with blatant lust, "it was worth it."

"You dolt, I could have fried your sorry…" she stopped short of her rant as she realized that for the first time, perhaps ever, she was with some one of even match. She could probably hurt him but he was skilled enough to hold his own and she didn't have to constantly worry about harming a man in bed…or the shower…

"Tell you what, why don't you look me over real good for any injuries and we'll call it even…" he whispered heavily into her sensitive ears.

Visibly shivering from head to toe she thought, _How does he do that! No one has ever found my buttons so quickly…well turn about is fair play…_

She answered by turning him around and making a slight show of checking his skull for any lumps. As she reached up she made sure her ample breasts made contact with his shoulder blades. Slowly she worked her way down making sure that her nipples slid over the entirety of his now soaked back.

His moans indicated that her ministrations were having the desired effect.

Sliding to her knees she was thankful that the over sized shower allowed her room to turn him around and take him into her mouth in one rapid motion.

"Oh you raven haired minx! You're gonna pay for….." his lighthearted threat was stopped as her expert hands reached up and joined in the distraction she was providing.

Some time later they were both very glad that the high priced hotel ensured that the hot water never ran out.

Having explored the many possible positions that a 5 star establishment's shower could present and pushed the limits of how long two mammals without gills could stay wet; they emerged very clean and very content with the world.

Noting that Rufus was still asleep he woke him up gently and then said to his friends, "Who's up for some room service?"

Rufus responded with the expectant, "Cheese!" and then an unexpectedly clear, "Pweese…Ron!?"

Catching him off guard he put his old friend back on the dresser.

Shego beat him to the question, "Did he just talk?"

"Well he has always talked to some extent; I just thought I was the only one who could understand it. It seems my buddy here has been up to more than just video games while he stayed with Wade."

"Uh, huh! Uh, huh! I been stud…ying…a…wot." Came the reply of an obviously proud naked mole rat. Obviously Rufus' large incisors were giving him a little bit of trouble with his "L's".

"Booyah, Rufus! I'm impressed buddy. What have you been studying? What more do I need to know…"

Ron was cut off as Rufus jumped over to his holographic key board that was already attached to Ron's running laptop. He earnestly began typing.

"I can 'speak' more clearly through this. Wade was kind enough to rig this up for me to talk with him and also to explore the web and his digital library. To answer your question I have been studying a lot of things from speech pathology to ancient Oriental prophecy." Were the words that scrolled rapidly across the screen.

"Whoah! Buddy this is something else…when did you start getting so assertive in the improvement department?"

The diminutive member of Team Possible visibly sagged and almost sadly typed, "When I admitted to myself that I was no longer as helpful on missions. I am in my 'middle age' as you humans put it and am not as agile when needed. I figured if I wanted to keep earning my cheese I should start expanding my mind…"

Ron interrupted him as he read these words, it tore his heart to think that his friend felt he wasn't a valued member of the team, "Buddy I don't want you to ever think that! You have been my most loyal and faithful friend, never doubt how much you mean to me…" he had to stifle back a tear as he realized just how much his friend meant to him and how much more attention he should have paid to him recently.

While this exchange passed Shego watched in stunned fascination. _He cares more about that little mole rat than any partner or my own brothers cared for me. He doesn't even realize how much his, what did GJ call it? 'Ron-Shine' affects those around him._

Thinking about losing that very Ron-Shine gave her a cold empty feeling as she sat on the bed. Giving up any pretenses at her normal jaded responses she cleared her throat and interrupted,

"Just an outside, objective opinion here Rufus," she smiled as a startled naked mole rat turned her way, "But you were always Kimmie-Cubs ace in the hole. Every time I was tangling with her and Drew was tap dancing with Ron here I always had a hell-of-a time trying to keep tabs on you.

Frankly I always thought you were the biggest pain in the ass concerning Team Possible, even Drakken couldn't figure out a way to deter you from fowling up his plans. The fact that you are now willing to defy the laws of nature to learn like you are…well I don't envy the next bad guy you all face."

Rufus stood in stunned silence as his team's oldest foe just gave him such high praise.

Ron just gave her the most heart felt look of thanks.

After a moment Rufus scurried back to the key board and typed, "From you that means a lot. I should mention that I was not all that surprised when I saw you two together. There are some prophecies that when read by someone with my personal view of the key players, foretell some amazing things to come…and soon."

"Like what?" inquired Ron.

"I'll be honest I am not totally sure. I'm a Naked Mole Rat…not an oracle. Let's say we hit up that room service and have some fun today!"

"I couldn't agree more" stated Shego as she leaned down and kissed Rufus on the head causing a blushing Rufus to pass out and require carrying to the breakfast table.

Over breakfast Ron tried to think about the day to come. But seemed unable to get past the point where he had jade a particular colored jewel on his arm.

_So many things I want to know about her, but I don't want to seem pushy…come on Ron don't screw this one up…_

Some of his old poor self esteem reared its ugly head- some traits are harder to kill than you realize. It wasn't that he thought himself without gifts, it's just that he spent the majority of his formative years being labeled as "loser" and "buffoon". It tends to taint your self image.

In fact that was one of the biggest discoveries he had made in all his time at Yamanouchi. His sporadic Monkey Power use that seemed only consistent when he was turned evil wasn't 'damaged' or 'tricky'- the problem lay in its owner. Once Yori and Sensei helped him truly believe he had a purpose and that he was a force for good in his own right…not just in KP's shadow- he progressed in leaps and bounds.

He smiled at the memory of his rapid improvement. It really was exhilarating to suddenly feel real power flowing through you where before, there had only been…_well just me_.

That "just me" feeling was what plagued him as he polished off the rest of his eggs with fried rice.

_I may be able to best trained ninjas- but I have always been slow in the ladies department. What makes me think I even remotely have a chance with a girl-no woman- like her?_

Meanwhile a different but no less turbulent storm was brewing in the mind of one emerald skinned beauty.

_He better not be playing with me! I have to be honest with myself- hell, who else will…maybe him…yeah him, I don't think he could lie convincingly if his life depended on it. So what am I worried about?... Cause I'm a convicted felon who has no way in hell of pulling off a real relationship with anyone much less a crime fighter. Maybe I better get some distance before the hammer falls… Damn why did I let him under my skin!?!_

The silence did not go unnoticed by the tables only other occupant. Rufus was surprisingly adept at reading his human's mood and by proxy could feel out most of the emotions running across their faces.

_Great- he is doing his damn self doubt gig and she looks like she is spiraling into the 'I'm too bad to have a good relationship- better run away cliché,''. Time to nip this shit in the butt…_

"Sight see…ing! Shop…ing! Fun!" he squeaked as clearly as his mole rat vocal cords could manage. He made sure to paste as pathetically hopeful of a face on as possible.

It worked.

Both human occupants mildly shook their heads from the funk they were sinking into and smiled at each other. Temporarily they had something else to think about than there own self doubts.

Looking at each other they suddenly felt a spark of that same energy they felt on the stairs below the Buddha statue…

"Ron, I…." she hesitated not knowing how to put her feelings into words.

Ron feeling the same way decided to defuse the tension a bit. Leaning over he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand in a subtle and endearing gesture and a brilliant smile…

"Shego, I think Rufus hit the nail on the head. Lets go have a fun, care free day. No prophecies, no shop talk, just a couple of crazy kids seeing the sights. You have been here before maybe you can play tour guide a bit, eh?"

Unconsciously biting her lower lip, she sighed then broke into a big smile as she decided to give into his infectious good cheer. "All right, you're on. I know just where to start…"

An hour later he was wondering if he had chosen his guide poorly.

Apparently Shego was either not familiar with or uninterested in the tourist attractions. Ron had suggested The Peak, hoping to get a feel for the area and maybe cuddle a little in the small flower filled observation point at the top of the mountain overlooking that area. Or even a quick ride on the Star Ferry over to Hong Kong Island to see some more local culture and check out a really good culinary institute he had heard about.

Instead he found himself without a clue as to where he was as he followed behind her through a literal maze of cramped and dank back alleys.

_Not that the view doesn't have some highlights_…he thought as he took in the view of the raven haired vixen. _Did she pour herself into those jeans?_ The midriff cut dark green leather jacket played well off the amazingly fitting jeans that seemed to sway hypnotically if you looked to long. Her sensible black boots were good for trekking as well as sharp looking.

"So Shego I am guessing from the locale that your last trip here was uh…work related?"

"Actually Ron, I was on vacation…it just got rougher than I expected;" she turned and gave him a mischievous grin, "but as you know I LIKE rough…best vacation I had in a while."

"So mind telling me where we are going?"

"See an old friend of mine. He owes me a favor and I'm hoping to cash in for a ride to some fun 'sights' that you won't find in the brochure…" she left out the details seemingly to draw out the suspense.

They finally arrived at a little grimy door that by the smell was obviously behind a fish market or something. Her harsh and repeated knocks were finally answered by what Ron could only surmise to be a wealth of expletives in the local tongue.

The ranting little man came to a halt abruptly as he opened the door and realized who was calling on him. If it was possible to have all the blood in your face disappear at once and not look like a corpse- he did a good impression of it.

"Shego?" he questioned in a trembling voice. After a quick nod and slight green flare of her eyes he seemed to regain a bit of his composure and beckoned them both quickly in and rapidly slammed the door.

"So 'Whiley' Won how have you…"

The panicky little man cut her off quickly, "You should NOT come here Shego!"

"Why, there are no warrants out on me here? Hell, last I checked the Triad still owed _me_ a couple hundred for some side work- what do I have to…."

"Not same Triad…new player since last you here. Bad man- hates you…put huge bounty on your head when he heard you were in town…."

"Easy, easy Won. What is this bad man's name and what beef does he have with me?"

"I know not why he hate you. Only know that he started tearing through Hong Kong a few months back and NOBODY messes with him. The Triad even show him respect and have invited him to join them…he is like ghost to police."

"So does this ghost have name?"

"He goes by the name Yama…" stated Won almost reverently.

"Yama…Yama…why do I know that name?' queried Shego mostly to her self.

"I know that name…" Ron debated how much to tell her as he knew this could drudge up some bad memories for her, "while I was at Yamanouchi, Sensei was very big on us learning the key players in all religions."

"So what does church have to do with a guy who wants my head on a pole?"

"Yama is the Hindu incarnation of the Angel of Death…The _Grim Reaper_."

She took it in stride, turning to what she knew best- sarcasm, wit and violence.

"Just a fluke or some sort of scam…either way let em' come." Trying her best to convince herself as much as the others she started pacing slightly like a caged panther.

"Won, thanks for the info, got anything else on this guy or anything helpful?"

"No, Shego. That all I know, please leave before someone know you here. I have family now!"

"Sure thing. Congrats on the family and one last thing Won…" she trailed off.

"What that"

"The slates clean- we're even." With that she turned out the door after Ron who was waiting for her in the alley.

She took one look at him as he was calmly checking both access points to where they stood.

_You know he really will be handy to have along on this one. But what if he gets hurt because of my fight?_ She didn't like where that train of thought was going realizing that she already knew what she had to do. There was no way she was going to risk endangering one of the only people that ever treated her kindly. _He just isn't ready for how dirty these guys fight,_ she told herself.

She took a deep breath and threw all her best swagger into her gate and venom in her voice as she walked up to him,

"Well it's been fun sweetheart, but play time is over. Looks like I have some work to tend to, so why don't you run along back to Princess and let the pros to it…"

"What!?! You need help and besides I thought we were…"

"Together? Oh you were fun there Tiger, no doubt about that. Just don't get too big a head where you think I need you for anything. Besides what do think you could possibly bring to the party…face it, no matter which way you shake it you're just a…" she had to steady herself to say the next word,"…Loser".

That one word hit him harder than all three bullets the other night did and more. No other word could have more effectively drawn up every insecurity he harbored. He just couldn't fathom what just happened.

_Well had to see that one coming didn't you loser?_ His inner self doubt taunted him as he watched her turn on her heals and walk down the alley.

If only he could see the tears streaming down her face that she had turned to avoid letting him see.

_Gotta make this look good otherwise he'll see right through me. Damn I hit a nerve…get a grip! Rather have him hate me and live than watch him die cause of my mess._

She had no idea the precipice she had just left him at…

Ron stood there utterly numb as he watched the most spectacular star to grace his horizon shoot out of his life. That was what he felt as he watched her turn the corner in that shady pathway. It was as if all the light he ever hoped to see in his life was following her.

The disturbing thing was that the darkness suddenly seemed VERY alluring. It was as if he could watch the good parts of him leave with her and feel the balance shift towards that very darkness.

And there was real power in that darkness…

He could feel it waiting for him to embrace it and all the untold wonders it could provide.

Fortunately for us all, his heart ache stepped in on that particular train of thought.

_What just happened? How could she just go like that and say…that?_ As his mind battled between the mystery of Shego's actions and the enigma of that undeniable draw towards darker thoughts…a question came screaming to the forefront.

_Do you love her? _

_Maybe…._

_Be honest…_

…_well, I,…_despite everything that had ever happened in their days of battling each other, the answer was simple…

_Yes. I do love her_, _even after what she just said._ The admission seemed to bring a flood of clarity as the last few days flooded past his mind's eye.

Regardless a shadowy part of him broke through with what he knew to also be true…

_With her gone ALL the power of the Blade will be yours, none of this Bloom crap we've been hearing about. No one would ever dare to call you names again. It would all be yours! Just you and the cold, reliable comfort of THE BLADE._

Suddenly the Lotus Blade materialized in his right hand. He hefted its soothing weight in his hand and felt the truth of those words confirmed in its welcoming grip. He barely noticed the blue aura surrounding it that was flickering a deep scarlet as well.

Startled by the appearance of the Blade and the warring emotions across his human's face Rufus knew he had to say his piece. He scurried up to his shoulder and whispered clearly into Ron's ear,

"She loves you."

Briefly pulled from his inner battle he looked incredulously at his small friend, "How can you say that? She's just like Bonnie and the others…she thinks I'm a… Loser. Who needs her…"

"You do."

Even with the rising lust for the power that the Blade was invoking he knew the truth when he heard it.

"If she loves me than why…" realization dawned on him like a ton of bricks. None ever accused Ron Stoppable of being sharp when it came to women but he knew the following to be true because it was the same thing he would do given the situation.

"She was protecting me. She pushed me away because she thought I could get hurt."

Thinking about the pain he would be feeling if he had been the one to have to push her away in reversed roles he accurately figured what she must be feeling right now.

The foreboding look cleared from his features as he made his decision.

Only Rufus noticed the Lotus Blade lose its blood red sparkle and resolve to the comfortable Blue that he was accustomed to seeing as it faded away.

Ron broke out at a dead run after the love of his life. He never realized how monumental of a moment had just passed in a dank Honk Kong alley.

He came out of the alley in a sprint only narrowly missing an exciting new career as a hood ornament on a passing truck.

To the sounds of loud honking and Chinese curse words he frantically scanned for Shego. He caught a glimpse of her turning a corner a block down the street. Fortunately her height and distinct appearance proved easy to spot.

Unfortunately he was not the only one looking for her…

As he poured on the speed he made quite a few new "friends" as he accidentally knocked over vendor carts and wayward pedestrians.

This too did not go unnoticed.

He was only a handful of paces behind her when he shouted her name.

She turned, and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the rolling river of tears down her cheeks. Those same tears were her undoing as they and her emotions dulled her normally keen peripheral awareness.

She never saw the van park to her left.

Or the half dozen armed thugs pore out.

Or the additional hard cases come up from either end of the street producing nasty looking weapons.

Ron however did and was suddenly glad that the Lotus blade burst into his hands in a shower of blue fire.

_This is not going to be pretty_. "Shego get DOWN!"

Instincts borne of years battling on either side of the law compelled her to do as told at that moment…barely avoiding a fusillade of bullets from multiple sides.

In a stroke of luck it seemed the locals had got the memo and were effectively huddled down behind cover.

This meant that whatever rounds weren't aimed at her or sailing over her from behind were converging on the still charging Ron.

He never missed a beat. Changing the Blade into a shield he deflected them all and even managed to ricochet a few into some less frosty thugs.

Giving himself over completely to his Mystical Monkey Power he seemed to "flow" through his assailants. Dropping the closest with a jab of the shield into his face he was now safe to go offensive since the further shooters were hesitant to hit their comrades.

Changing the blade once again into a spiked chain/mace he began to swing it menacingly to carve out some room to work.

He heard and saw in his periphery green plasma being shot in numerous directions. He never doubted that she was up for a fight; but she seemed to be venting all her frustrations on anything that moved. He didn't envy the fools in her path.

Reaching down and grabbing a piece of pipe on the ground he hurled it like a spear with his left hand back the way he came impaling the leg of someone trying to sneak up behind him.

He had never felt so in tune with his powers before and even though they were easily outnumbered 20 to 2; he didn't feel all too worried.

Until he heard the yelp of Shego from behind as she was hit by not one, not two but three tranquilizer darts. The shooter was in a terrace above them using a high power rifle that Ron's abstract mind thought belonged on an episode of Wild Safari.

"No Nature Channel for you" he uttered under his breath as he hurled the Lotus Blade at the man, chopping off his right arm and the weapon in half before he could take aim on him.

The distinctive sound and smells of a Tazer gun being used on Shego a few yards to his side alerted him that he didn't have much time as he called the blade back to him.

He turned and saw her limp form being dragged by her hair into the van. He dove below another stream of bullets and rolled towards the van slicing two tires to shreds with the Blade. Undeterred the driver floored it, obviously wanting no part of the flaming blue, sword wielding mad man.

Ron had given himself over so freely to the Lotus powers that he was indeed billowing blue fire. Every knuckle head dumb enough to get in striking distance was treated to 3rd degree burns on top of the broken bones and bruises from his blows.

Not that he stood still long enough to get very close to for long. He leaped to the car roof tops of the crammed street and began bounding forward in pursuit of the van skidding on the rims up onto the sidewalk. As the fire fight broke out all the drivers either ducked to the floor boards or ran for the side streets on foot; turning the normally busy street into a veritable parking lot.

As the bad guys began to realize the caliber of their opponent they too sought elevation. Knowing the terrain better they took to the fire escapes and the connected roofs of the cramped shops and apartments.

They turned the street into an utter kill zone of raining lead.

Ron chased on undeterred. Between the instructional dreams and his growing connection with the blade he intuitively knew what to do.

He erupted.

One moment he twirled an extended version of the sword in a spinning shield of blue fire. At the precise moment someone reloaded or there was a lull in the fire he would lash out and a stream of lethal fury and fire flew unerringly at his attackers.

Brick, wood and mortar flew in his wake as the bodies hit the floor. Utter devastation was left in his path and he was just getting started.

He was possessed with one purpose and one purpose alone…to save Shego; his love…his Bloom.

Up ahead the road opened up a bit at a large intersection and he poured on the speed to catch the van as it hopped back out on the street to make a break for it.

Just as he was within range the back doors popped open and two fully automatic AK-47's let loose a torrent of 7.62 caliber deterrence.

Quickly bringing up his swinging sword to deflect the flying lead he couldn't see the two little presents one of the van's occupants had slipped out behind them.

The grenades launched him a good 15 feet back and knocked him unconscious into a bloody mess in the middle of the street. It was a saving grace that the Blade had deflected the mortal blow but from the looks of the thugs scurrying down the ladders towards him that was a temporary blessing at best.

"Don't get too close man" one said to the other as 3 of the only assailants left standing approached cautiously.

"Where's his sword?"

"Fuck this, just shoot him and get the hell out of here!"

Despite all the superstitions that abound the Orient nothing and I mean NOTHING could have prepared these hardened criminals for what happened next.

As the lead man lifted his weapon to take aim his sight picture was suddenly obscured by a flaming blue…rodent!?!

"What the…" was all he got out before a blade wielding, ninja, naked mole rat went berserk.

Too small to effectively engage and too frenzied to predict the three men simply never knew what hit them.

After dispatching them quickly Rufus surveyed the path of destruction behind them for any threat. Seeing no imminent danger he let the powers fade down a bit and turned to the next task at hand.

Ron was a mess.

Fortunately for him he wasn't the only wielder of the Lotus Blade that had received some interesting dreams.

Setting to work Rufus focused all he could into healing his best friend. It was difficult given the severity and extent of the wounds, but he eventually did it.

Ron came to in a start reaching for the Blade and scanning for threats. Looking at his tattered clothes and the exhausted Rufus he quickly put two and two together.

"Well, I guess I owe you a hell of a lot of cheese buddy."

"Yep!" Came his exhausted reply, then a tiny paw pointed in the direction of the van, "got a..way" he then promptly passed out.

"Rest up pal…Ron said as he placed Rufus gently into his cargo pant pocket. His gaze following the direction of the now long gone van.

As he turned towards the hotel he muttered to his now sleeping friend,

"Yep you did real good today bud, but I have a feeling before this is over, these assholes are going to find out just how bad I can be…"

**Mt. Yamanouchi, a few miles east of the school**

**A large clearing in the jungle**

_Disgraced._

_Who are they to disgrace me!?! I shall show them; I shall show them all! I was destined to lead! I was bred for it! _

_All because of that damned Outsider and his bitch accomplice… oh how I look forward to repaying her for betraying her own kind. Fawning over him like that…oh she will feel my rage in so many ways…_

_My benefactor has shown me the path. _

_I shall do his bidding here to unearth my true Master. And in doing so-Lord Monkey Fist shall be indebted to me and teach me the ways of the Mystical Monkey Power as well as the secrets of the Yono…I shall be invincible!_

_I am so close. I can feel it…I have no idea where that mystery man found the area the temple descended but with his geo-thermal maps and detailed directions I shall make swift work of my search._

_Disgraced._

_That old fool will learn the true meaning of disgrace. I shall show him his still beating heart, and the last thing he shall hear is my laughter…_

Hate and delusions of grandeur are ripe grounds for sewing the seeds of discontent and further into madness.

Not that Fukushima needed much of a push, but still you would think he would have looked for more information of the man who would send him so close to the very people who had been his undoing.

In fact the banished ninja knew only three things about the strange man:

One- that he was missing his right pinky.

Two- that he had a tattoo of a serpent coiling up his right arm that despite his weathered skin seemed brand new and almost…alive.

The third was of course the most important- he was powerful.

In fact he was VERY powerful and seemingly had connections into everything. Never mind the fact that his face seemed to inexplicably always rest in the shadows no matter where he was in a room.

It mattered not; for he was the one who set the wayward young ninja back on the path of his rightful destiny. Which is what brings us to this shady corner of the jungle and a one man expedition to find the buried Temple of the Yono.

Clink!

His shovel hit resolutely against metal. Diving to his knees he swept away the loose dirt with his hand to find a golden ring not far below the surface.

Standing to his knees and saying a silent prayer to the few spirits he still believed in he leaned and put his whole body into pulling the ring from the ground.

It gave way and with it billowed forth the towering site of the Temple of Yono the Destroyer.

As the dust settled the embittered young man let his eyes settle satisfactorily on the fruits of his labors. His smile grew expectant as he recited the incantation that would bring forth the realization of his dreams.

Out from the entrance came the deceivingly diminutive figure of The Destroyer.

"Who has brought me forth into this realm." The small robed monkey demanded.

"I Fukushima have endeavored that task. I am but a servant myself and stand ready to do my benefactors bidding soon."

"Do you pledge to follow the dark path of the Yono, come what may?"

"I was born to walk the Path of the Destroyer. I do so pledge."

Clasping his hand roughly the monkey seared the mark of the Yono on the man's left hand and began to walk away.

"Where do you think you are going?" questioned Fukushima, with a note implying he knew the answer already.

"To school." He said grimly.

"Not quite yet. I was told you would do this. As a humble student of your wisdom I ask that you dwell here a while longer," as he noted the monkey turning to leave again he stood and let his voice boom, "and as the one who unearthed you I command it! We have work to do."

A voice came up abruptly behind him, "And what would that be?"

Turning and seeing the face that he had longed to see for so long, Fukishima almost felt like weeping, "Lord Monkey Fist! We have much to do!"

Turning and addressing them both in a bit more respectful tone and posture, he made a gesture to the nearby jungle's tree line.

Out from the shadows marched 100 genetically mutated and enhanced Monkey Ninjas.

"The remnants of your monkey army were salvaged and turned to the capable hands of an old friend of yours."

"DNAmy" Monkey Fist said as a matter of fact- not question, recognizing the handiwork.

The monkeys were a uniform 4 and half feet tall with bulging muscles and a slightly more erect posture than nature had planned. They walked with a dancer's grace but lent their eyes a terrible aspect. Their front incisors were razor sharp and protruded prominently from their mouths. The all wore identical blood red armor and had a variety of weapons at their disposal ranging from nun chucks to swords and throwing stars.

By any standard it was an impressive sight to behold as they marched forward and fell into a perfect rank and file formation.

Fukushima cleared his throat and stated his intentions, "The man who made this all possible was very clear in his instructions. We are to remain here as he assembles his forces. When all is ready for the final chapter of Yamanouchi to be ripped from the pages of history they will assemble and stage here. Then with a weapon of immense power we will strike!"

Unconvinced Yono made to leave once more, "I will do it myself and this fool with his weapon will find only ashes…"

"Like last time?" stated Fukushima with more insolence than continued good health dictated; "That has been the folly of many before, including Lord Monkey Fist and untold others. My benefactor gave me no name but did give me a plan that if followed to the letter will be victorious over that damned fool and his clan".

"And what pray tell are we to do in the mean time as he spins his web of intrigue" taunted Monkey Fist.

With a nod of his head towards the army and himself, "We train..."

**Not far above at the Secret Ninja School of Yamanouchi**

_How can I possibly be what he expects me to be…could the prophecies be wrong?_

Self doubt can find us all. From that shadowy corner of our minds we try our hardest not to peer into, it so easily springs forth at the worst times.

For Yori this was one of those times. The enormous weight of her endeavors had begun to overwhelm her as she poured over the repository of scrolls.

"I've seen that look before. Trust me if he didn't think you could do it, he wouldn't have entrusted his considerable life's work to you" came the soothing voice of her 'sister' Alexandria.

"I know this to be true. Yet I can not help but feel…intimidated by that very trust. I do not want to let him down." was her wavering response.

She had felt the battle rage within Ron earlier that day. It had almost torn her apart. She was infuriated when Sensei stopped her from trying to help Ron in his time of need and indecision.

_How could he possibly let him go through that alone? What did he mean by 'we must not interfere', isn't that what we do in balancing the Blades?_

She had grown leaps in bounds in her ability to connect with the wielder of the Blade. She watched as the prophecy unfolded before her. He made his choice between 'Love and Power'… and had chosen wisely.

She thought it slightly odd that she had not actually seen who his beloved was. Suppressing a grimace she thought about the fiery haired heroine who it most certainly had to be_. So you win yet again Possible-san…I wish you well with his heart, it will be your greatest prize. If you ever learn to truly appreciate it…_

However his love had been ripped from him soon after and she felt the dark undercurrents tearing him apart as he killed time and time again unknowingly.

I must center myself so that I can help him on his journey; I sense very evil tidings in his future. As well as….ours?

Suddenly she was torn from her meditations by a slight rumbling in the very core of the mountain.

Leaping to her feet and racing to the front gate she was stopped at the dojo's door.

"Do not be concerned with what lay below us, it appears to be only one part of the bigger problem" calmly stated Sensei.

"Who or what was that, Father?"

"As I said it is not out immediate concern. Perhaps though we can utilize it as a lesson. Retake your seat." He said mildly as he moved to the meditation mat in front of the currently empty Lotus Blade stand.

Tell me Daughter, using your senses- what lay several miles to our East below the school?"

Instantly a dark memory occurred to her, "The Temple of Yono the Destroyer!?!" she exclaimed.

Sensei sighed, "If I recall, and correct me if I am wrong- I am rather old…I specifically stated 'use your senses'. I said nothing of your fickle memory."

Slightly blushing she settled and turned her investigation first within.

Finding and calming her chi she started with her breathing and expanded her awareness first through every cell of her body. Then every nook and cranny of the room, she noted the calming influence of Sensei as his aura shined like a golden nova compared to most life forms. Then the school grounds…she could feel the apprehension of the students was palpable, but controlled. Then the jungle of the immediate vicinity; of course the animals and the very trees knew better than anyone that something was amiss.

Then she found it.

Indeed about 3-4 miles East of the school she could see and…feel the Temple of Yono the Destroyer. At its base were three beings that she knew all too well.

Before them marched an army of unparalleled gruesomeness. It was something out of a child hood nightmare. The fangs, the crimson armor, the murderous glint in every eye. She involuntarily shivered from head to toe.

She surveyed their actions and without intending she was also able to garner their intent…_they are waiting and…training? _

She understood what Sensei meant. _If this is only part of a gathering force…what unholy alliance are we as yet unaware of?_

"Undoubtedly Father the Battle is coming…should we not evacuate the students as before?"

"The youngest and untested are already packing. However the approaching storm is the very tempest that this school was founded to prepare for. As we speak the call is being sent out to alumni the world over. Young, proven and anxious students will stand side by side with the oldest and wisest of our schools living graduates. They will fight and find honor in each other's strengths, come what may."

Yori stared in wonder at him. As far as she knew this had never been done in the history of the school; the burdened tone of the schools Master seemed to confirm this.

Resolving herself to not fail this school that had nurtured her or this man that she loved so dearly she stood and straightened her ghi.

"Where are you going?" asked Sensei in a tone that honestly conveyed that he was unaware of her intentions.

_Well wonders never cease_…she thought as she noted this as one of the first times she could think of that she had surprised him. She smiled as she set steel to her voice and eye.

"Where else Father? I am the heir to lead this clan; I go to prepare its defense…and victory."

As she walked from the dojo he watched her leave. Her gait seemed more confidant and if he didn't know better he would have sworn that she seemed taller.

He smiled warmly after his daughter and whispered lightly under his breath as if in prayer, "Yes, the spirits chose wisely indeed."

**Middleton, CO**

Kim found herself once again negotiating morning traffic on the route to the Rockweller estate.

_What in the hell am I doing_?!? She thought for perhaps the thousandth time. _My best friend and boy friend tromps off with my arch nemesis…and what? I start dating again, without missing a beat? What is this…rebound? _

That stopped her racing thoughts cold for a moment. She was honest with herself enough to know that she did inexplicably have feelings for Blake. She didn't understand it, she just felt it. However she also knew that he deserved better than to be doomed to the failure that rebound almost invariably resulted.

_Besides it's not like we're eloping or anything I just promised to take him out to lunch to make up for the last two 'NOT Dates' going to hell. Even if last night was amazing having him teach me a little gun fighting. I never want to be forced to use it, but turning down a tool or skill is to tempt the fates. Or as that Brett guy kept putting it 'don't piss off ol' Mr. Murphy!'_. She thought with a smile creeping across her lips.

He had invited her out with the boys at Sharkey's afterwards. Although she was loathe to pass up a distraction from her thoughts about Ron; she could tell that his team needed their cool off time together without the intrusion of some gal the 'boss' brought along.

So instead she had worn further track marks in her old room's carpet as she paced and deliberated her 'sitch' with her old partner. _If only I had really treated him more like a partner maybe I could have prevented this?_

Having witnessed an effective demonstration of what a real 'Team' looked like by Blake's "Bastards". She knew there was truth in her thoughts.

_I could accept that we were growing apart as people. I mean he had to grow out of his clumsiness…but he blew way past that with this secret ninja training gig…but then again even after he told me I never really gave him his due credit…_

Her thoughts shot to his last words to her the other night in the bar, "I just ask that you be true to your heart and do the right thing from here on out."

Well her heart was telling her only two things with any semblance of clarity:

1) Ron and her had too much history to let this parting last forever…it would work itself out with a bit of patience and time. She just knew that in her bones. It would never be the same but she trusted in Ron to always be there in the end.

2) That this thing with Blake…whatever it is…was more than rebound. Not wanting to rush it she hesitated to label it, but she knew a good thing when she saw it and was not about to let it slip by because of her current drama.

In typical Kim Possible fashion she was more than capable of focusing through any problem and etching out a plan of attack.

This however did not prevent the storm of butterflies from infiltrating her stomach as she pulled up the drive of her high school rival's home.

As she rang the doorbell she steeled herself for anything. It still did not prepare her the brunette driven onslaught that met her at the first ring.

"K! You little bitch! The Loser wasn't doin' it for ya so you decided to have a go at my brother? I always new you were a slut but come on! Why I should…"

Blake cut her off from the top of the staircase, "Bonnie! Ms. Possible is a guest of mine and I expect you to act accordingly. Now back the hell off or perhaps I should mention to Dad how you 'accidentally' exceeded your credit limit and 'borrowed' from his expense account?"

"Hhhmmpphh! Don't think this is over Kim!" she taunted as she tromped up to her room.

"Well that was interesting" stated Kim as neutrally as she could to Blake as he grabbed his coat and met her at the door.

"Well at least the welcome mat didn't try and capture you!" he joked with a lopsided grin.

She suppressed a giggle, "Yeah I suppose I deserved that, but in knowing what I know now…the Tweebs never really stood a chance did they?"

He looked cautiously over his shoulder, "Uh let's not talk shop around here if you don't mind. The family still thinks I work in the regular Marine Corps and that I'm just home on leave."

"But what about all that stuff you pulled out of the house yesterday" she asked as they neared her car.

With a chagrined look he explained, "Dad is out of town and the girls wouldn't know the difference between a gun case and a picnic basket. I told them I was holding some stuff for some buddies who were going camping."

"What's the big charade for?" asked Kim, although she suspected she knew the answer already.

As he got in the passenger seat and they drove off he sighed, "I don't know how much you really want to know about the Rockweller Family Saga…"

"One question definitely comes to mind" she interrupted, "In the almost ten years I have known Bonnie I have never even heard of you. I would have thought that her elitist clan would love to pull out a Marine Officer in Dress Blues at parties at least."

Another heavy sigh was followed by his story, "Well they would if they didn't mind airing out the dirty laundry.

Despite my sister's pretense of superiority, my Father earned his money the hard way. He was born of an oil drilling Roughneck father who instilled early in him the value of a dollar. As a kid he would go with his father to the oil fields and sell sandwiches and even lemonade to the workers. Eventually he followed my grandfather's lead and became a Roughneck himself.

He worked hard by day but saw that power came in knowledge and wanted better for himself. So he graduated high school early and got his degree through night school.

He made some very wise investments in oil, then in the growing and then misunderstood field of computer software. He hit it big and I mean really big. He continued working hard and was smart enough to invest further and sensibly.

Then he unfortunately met my sister's mother, Alexis…" seeing the confused look on Kim's face he elaborated.

"Kim my unit's nickname is unintentionally very insightful- I'm a bastard. My father was brilliant in business but a moron in marriage. Bonnie, Connie and Lonnie's mother is a ruthless, enterprising debutant who snared my Dad and locked him into a loveless marriage.

He met my mother, Emily on a business trip to Cancun. She was on Spring break while finishing up her Masters in Economics. She was a lot like you actually, wanting to save the world. She felt the answer to world hunger and strife lay in a more balanced economic relief program. After my parents tryst on the beach she actually gave birth to me in Africa while working on a relief effort in the Congo.

She never really had any intention of burdening my father with the fruits of their love; and yes I really do believe they loved one another. As my father puts it-she was everything his wife wasn't- giving, considerate and kind.

Anyways I was raised bouncing around the globe with her on her various adventures. It was great and until I was 9 she even home schooled me on the road. But I learned more from our travels than I could have from any institution.

Unfortunately she contracted Malaria when we were in Malaysia. When she knew there was little time left she contacted my father and came clean. I escorted her body back on his private plane and he, I and a veritable army of her admirers put her to rest.

Needless to say my arrival at the estate was met with some…distaste. Alexis used it as the final nail to ensure my father was pinned to the wall forever. Connie and Lonnie just enjoyed having fresh meat to pick on.

Bonnie was another matter entirely. I am only two years older than her. When I met her she was a 7 year old spit fire hell bent on spurning her older sister's prissy ways. In each other we found a kindred spirit as she was far more like my father than her mother wanted to admit.

By age 12 Alexis had enough of my 'disruptive behavior', namely respecting my father and not taking any of Connie or Lonnie's crap.

So I was placed in the best military academy Dad could find. He visited regularly and Bonnie came too, for awhile. I guess after some time, with out me there to back her up, those three just finally wore her down. She had to build her snide, vindictive shell just to survive in that house.

Despite all the battles I have seen in shit holes around the globe, I still think hers was the tougher fight.

So I am trying my best to help coax her out of her defenses now that my status as a 'Marine Officer' as you put it regales enough significance to allow me around the estate from time to time. She really is a good person, she just needs time" he concluded and then added with a wink, "and A LOT of work."

Kim was glad that traffic had lightened up as he filled her in on his story. _Man, what an amazing life story-and that was just the cliff notes version! I knew Bonnie had it rough but, DAMN. _

She looked over at him as he waited patiently for her to process his tale. _So forthcoming in sharing with me his life…he's trying to build trust. Maybe he does feel the same thing I do growing between us…_

They had arrived at the small bakery that she like on the south side of town. As they got out and walked towards the entrance she stopped him,

"Blake, I can't tell you how much it means to me that you felt comfortable enough to share that with me. It means a lot. I wish there was something I could tell you about me that would be nearly as interesting…"

He laughed out loud, "Are you frickin' kidding me? Or are you just the master of humility? You're Kim Possible, the girl who can do anything. Even if I hadn't read a single word about you in the newspapers, Bonnie's scorn for you speaks volumes to your capabilities. She wouldn't pick a rival that wasn't at her caliber or better."

She hadn't ever thought of her rivalry with Bonnie in that light before.

"Well the whole teen hero thing just sort of happened over time. Besides Ron was always…" she caught herself as she realized where that train of thought was going. She took a calming breath and continued, "Anyways it's what I do, not WHO I am."

"True, but there is one thing I have learned for certain in my travels and experiences."

"And what's that?"

"That a person is far more defined by their actions and what they do, than they ever are by their words or what others say."

With that he gave her a hug that she definitely looked in need of. Nothing overly romantic but rather the comforting human touch that two strong spirits needed at that a particular moment.

Breaking comfortably and oddly with little awkwardness, he gave that same lopsided grin that shot tingles down her spine. "What do you say we get some lunch, last I heard you were trying to make up to me for something or another."

"Sure thing, but only on one condition…"

With feigned and overly dramatic fear he asked, "And what does the Mistress desire"

Getting into the playfulness she responded, "That this time we drop the 'NOT' and let this be a first date."

"As you wish…"

….

As far as first date's go, it was rather tame. Not so much from lack of imagination but rather the comfortable and amicable conversation they fell into lent more to a leisurely stroll in the park after a nice lunch of clam chowder in sour dough bowls.

At the park they noticed the sign for kayak rentals and given both of their athletic nature they decided a jaunt down the local river was a great idea. Ending up more wet than expected he surprised her by being willing to drop by the mall and buy some new clothes rather than go home.

"I'd actually rather not go near the estate. If you couldn't tell, Bonnie isn't too happy about me seeing you…at all. I know she has a problem with being too subtle but I'm sure you could read between the lines" was his sarcastic reasoning.

All in all they had a great afternoon. She didn't want the day to end and neither did he, so they decided on dinner at Lou Mallinati's. The extended wait for a true Chicago style pizza afforded them ample time to continue getting to know each other.

She filled him in on the abbreviated version of her life. At first she glossed over any parts to do with crime fighting, partially due to how guys usually reacted to those tails from a girl and two because of the tendency to think of Ron.

But eventually she noticed that his casual and patient nature seemed to put her more at ease and she eventually found it almost cathartic to share stories of misadventures in one lair or another.

By the time dinner was served they both were coming to the realization that the person sitting across from them was something special indeed and worth the potential hurt to explore something more.

Stopping off at a quite bar that he knew for a drink, they found a cozy table in the back. Looking into her emerald eyes he decided it couldn't hurt to lay it out on the line.

"Kim, I've had a great day and frankly would like to have others just like it, so I want to get this out of the way. I know you just had a huge blow up with a long time love."

Raising a hand to politely cut off her interruption he continued,

"Just let me say my piece. I know there is a good chance this is just you reaching out because you need a friend, rebound, whatever you want to call it. I'm fine with that as long as you understand one thing; I feel life is too short to dwell on the past. I'll always lend a patient ear to listen but my life is too fast paced and uncertain for me to feel comfortable in leading you on. I like you…a lot. But we both have seen enough of the world to know that with our lifestyles, we need to be straight with each other from the start."

She was rather stunned to realize that he had left her speechless. It was if he had read her mind and played out every lingering reservation and concern she had. Here was a guy that not only was OK with her crazy lifestyle but liked her all the more for it. Not to mention that he seemed to possess a strong enough spirit to handle her will.

There wasn't much she could say.

In her usual manner she let her actions speak for her and leaned over and kissed him.

Not the casual kiss of a new couple but the longing kiss of two people trying to reach out and find themselves in each other.

It seemed that all was right with the world as their lips became accustomed to one other and they began to embrace. It seemed nothing could spoil such a perfect moment when…

Beep Beep Da Beep!

The Kimmunicator will never know how close it came to being flight tested through a window at that moment.

With a heavy sigh she pulled away apologetically and said, "Hold that thought."

Turning her wrist to see the view screen she reigned in her frustration and said as evenly as possible,

"What's the sitch Wade?"

"Hey Kim, I know things aren't the greatest with you and Ron right now but you need to see this!" She had never heard the young genius so close to panic before.

The screen switched to a traffic cam footage then an arial news footage shot of a warzone in a cramped down town street. Initially she was confused then she saw it…

Green plasma and blue fire being pummeled by a torrent of bullets and malice.

The screen pulled back after she saw a black haired female she presumed to be Shego go down and be roughly dragged into a van as it sped off.

The footage got choppy as the chopper tried to keep up with the carnage. One thing was certain though…Ron was in trouble. He was giving as well as he was getting but the camera cut off soon after she saw a huge explosion damn near on top of him.

She didn't hesitate. "Where's my ride, Wade?"

"I got a helicopter enroute to the softball field 2 blocks from your position."

She was about to sign off when she was distracted by a unique ring tone from Blake's phone and him hurriedly running to the door to take the call.

After thanking Wade for the heads up and confirming that her mission kit would be on the waiting plane at the airport she walked out to apologize to Blake for yet another nice evening ruined.

"I'm sorry I gotta go" they said unison.

Smiling inwardly that a 'jinx' was in order she said, "I'm sorry Blake but I gotta catch a bird, right now. A…friend is in trouble."

He gave her a knowing smile, "Kim I heard it all, even caught a glimpse of the view screen. He needs you and I wouldn't care so much about you if you weren't the type to go help him."

"Thank you! You really are amazing. When I get back we need to pick up right where…"

He interrupted her with a hand on the shoulder, "I don't think you understand. I have to go too. That call I just took was the Pentagon. My team has been activated and leaves in 4 hours."

**To be continued…**

**A/N: **_Whew! 43 pages; had a lot to put out in that one, hope you enjoyed the ride! I know the chapters are a little slow in coming. Please be patient as you can tell; I try to pack a lot into a chapter. See ya next time._

_BTW another big thanks to my Editor-in-chief, my wife. In fact if any of you out there like that Kim didn't get shafted into a minor role or if you like the new sitch with her & Blake you can thank the editor. _


	6. Ch 6 The Road Less Traveled

**A/N**: I know it's been awhile since I posted. You know how it is balancing work and play. I should hopefully be able to get back at it a bit more regularly now though.

Once again I would like to thank those fine members of humanity who took the time to pause, hit the mouse once, jot some thoughts on the story and hit the mouse one more time. With that same effort you too, may find your name within the next chapter…

Seriously though you guys have helped drive this thing in some fun new directions so hats off to: **DJ Duncan,** **Dagda06117032, axt, Lord Zander, mkusenagi2, trekkifulron, bigmark2005, Thoughts13**.

A special nod to **aedan cameron** and **beeftony** who took some time to really profile the story and help point out some great ideas. Thanks guys.

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: Disney made the park, I'm just trying to add another ride. Regrettably I get no financial gain nor take credit for anything other than the new characters I have created.

Also this story definitely lives up to it's "M" rating; more so for graphic violence. So once again-if this sort of thing bothers you, please reset your browser to "K" and enjoy the fine work available there.

**The Blade and the Bloom**

**Chapter 6: **_**The road less traveled**_

**Hong Kong, China**

**A seedy little bar on the shady side of the wrong side of town.**

_Jesus Ron, what are you doing in a place like this?_ Thought Kim as she almost slipped in a pile of God only knows what. The unknown, chunky fluid she was desperately hoping wouldn't soak through the sole of her boots pretty much summed up her impression of the establishment.

_Stinky, foul, and decidedly unpleasant_.

In her defense, she was right on the mark. Moving past the olfactory onslaught this was one of those places that the worst of the worst curl up in and try and hide from the world. They know that the police won't bother them, because they're terrified to even try and come here. Undercover cops don't even mess with crime havens such as this.

And frankly before this morning's festivities neither would Kim Possible, no matter how bad she wanted information.

But some one had done a little house cleaning recently…like melt the grimy paint off the wall and bounce heads off the ceiling type of cleaning.

There were bodies in various states of groaning agony and disturbingly wrong angled limbs littered everywhere she looked.

She had been tracking Ron for almost 36 straight hours now and this was the worst of the carnage she had seen yet.

After arriving at the Hong Kong International Airport she had dove head long into finding her lost friend. She had started by visiting the initial battle scene she had saw on the video clip and practically memorized on the flight over here. It had taken her breath away seeing how Ron was handling himself but terrified her at the same time considering the veritable bloodbath that he was engaging in.

The footage didn't do it justice. As she showed her GJ credentials to the lead investigator she narrowly avoided what she thought was falling debris. The cops were all rather impressed that she kept her lunch when she realized it was the dripping blood and meat of a street hood that had been impaled on a 3rd story fire escape. They had yet to figure a way to pull the body down given the flimsy grip the metal had on the remains of the wall.

As shocking as this scene was it was only the beginning of a series of grisly discoveries that the detective detailed to her. She wasn't sure if he was trying to get her sick and effectively off the case or emphasizing how much damage her "sidekick" as he put it- had actually imparted on his city.

Not that any of the cops really blamed him. In fact there was an unstated sentiment that each of these scumbags had got what they deserved. Also unsaid was their almost awe that one man had held his own against this amount of firepower.

Then the next call came in.

The clean up at the initial scene was progressing well when a distinctly original report had come in. According to dispatch a pair of well connected Triad members were found hanging upside down from a flag pole on the 39th story of a hotel about 12 blocks from here.

Kim quickly pulled up her Kimmunicator to contact Wade and see if he could start getting some Intel running on any leads. She wanted to kick herself as she hit the power button and nothing happened. At customs she had been required to pull the batteries for inspection and she had forgotten to replace them.

No sooner had the initial start up sequence ran than a very anxious Wade was bellowing, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

"Sorry Wade but I forgot to…" she started

"Ron called and he is going after these guys in a big way! He practically threatened me for information on the Hong Kong underworld…" interrupted.

"Please tell me you didn't give him anything?" pleaded Kim.

"I had to give him something, so I downloaded some mid level Triad bosses that Interpol had a descent bead on. They seemed pretty harmless, but that's not what is worrying me Kim…"

"Oh, besides the war zone I'm standing in and Ron's one man witch hunt what could possibly be unsettling?" came an exhausted and sarcastic reply.

"His eyes…" seeing her questioning expression he elaborated, "His eyes were glowing blue! His whole demeanor was like nothing I had ever seen before."

"Well down load me what you gave him and see if you can cross reference anything you think these guys may have given him. Me and the lead detective are heading to where they are…hanging out right now."

It wasn't pretty.

It seems they probably did talk from the dejected, yet terrified looks on their faces when they were cut down. Not that anyone could blame them. Apparently Ron's normal "Note serious face" hadn't phased the hardened crooks, so he was forced to resort to less pleasant forms of interrogation.

Frankly she was having a hard time believing he had anything to do with what she saw before her. The simple face bruises and broken fingers she could probably accept…but at some point he apparently felt the need to start using that sword of his in a more unorthodox manner.

The hand tendons being severed must not have been enough but apparently when he sliced off both of their left ears they felt that he was serious in his intentions to cut the truth out of them.

As if that wasn't odd enough, the EMT's pointed out that all the major bleeders that potentially could have killed the men had been somehow healed…they had never seen anything like it.

From Wade's data crunching she had a short list of possible upcoming events.

And so began the chase.

It led from the flag pole to some seemingly random assaults that all seemed far too efficient with nothing taken. The only two connecting factors were that they were all involved with the crime syndicate that had abducted Shego, any life threatening wounds had seemed to of miraculously healed themselves and absolutely no innocents were hurt.

Now 36 hours later she was wiping the aforementioned goo off her boot and assessing whether or not her friend had used a tank main gun on the seedy little bar.

_Ron ,what are you doing?_ Her mind pleaded for some sense of explanation. There had to be some reason he had seemingly gone over the deep end. She kept coming back to the same thing…

_Shego_

It had to be her. She had to be the insidious influence that had corrupted her sweet and care free Ron. She just refused to believe any other scenario.

As the local cops were taping off the scene and trying to keep from hurling at the grotesquely angulated limbs she noticed something.

About 3 blocks away in a 2nd story window she saw a distinct blue flash. _Probably just a TV screen… _but something bothered her and she decided to play her hunch.

Slipping back out of the circle of growing spotlights and investigators she made her way down the dank little street to the building that had housed the window.

The smells of urine and decay assaulted her in the run down lobby of the nasty little hotel. Fortunately that was all that assailed her; it seemed the worst baddies had skipped out when the commotion down the street kicked up.

She worked her way up the rickety stairs and towards the room where the light had emanated. Stopping short she listened for any sign of someone on the other side of the rotting door.

She heard only one sound and it unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

It was the sound of whimpering. Not the sound of a baby mewling for milk, but the distinct and unforgettable sound of a grown man poorly accepting his own mortality.

Then she heard a voice.

"You can come in Kim, I know you're out there." She was certain it was Ron but it sounded so much…darker than she had ever heard.

She tentatively pushed the door open…she was not ready for what she beheld.

Ron was sitting in an old office like chair in the middle of the room; from the haggard look on his face he had been pushing himself longer than most anyone should be able to. He looked up at her with a face marred with a mixture of anguish and something that looked oddly like…hope.

This seemed quite the contrast for the rooms only other occupant. An overweight and almost tackily overdressed middle aged Chinese man was suspended up side down from an exposed rafter in the ceiling. Electrical cords were cutting into his ankles and small rivulets of blood were slowly soaking his soiled tan pants even further.

The part that caused her to stifle a small gasp was that a small incision had been made in his belly and at least 3 feet of his intestine had been meticulously pulled out and let to dangle in front of his now pasty face.

When Ron next spoke his voice seemed to take on a disturbingly friendly and neutral tone,

"Ah, Kim you have joined me and my friend Chen here for a fascinating discussion. It seems that he is wired into just about every major elicit activity that happens in this part of town. So when say, someone needs to arrange transport of a kidnapped woman…" he paused and gave the man a meaningful glance' "he should know something about it."

"Ron you can't do this…"

He cut her off with his maddeningly polite voice, "Oh and why is that Kim? Because of some self imposed rule of being a good guy? Because society says I am supposed to play by some higher moral ethic? Well guess what, society only works if everyone plays by the same rules- and these guys aren't playing…" he paused to let her understand his sincerity in his next words,

"These men only understand one thing- malice, they only respect one thing- power. If getting back what they took from me requires me to embrace those principles, they will find that I am a quick learner. Now you can leave or you can stay but I have a conversation to finish."

She almost wished he had yelled, stood up or did something to betray a hint of remorse or concern. Instead he just calmly turned back to the task at hand.

"Now where were we…"

She had to admit that from a clinical view point he was exceedingly efficient. He would ask a question and give the man 30 seconds to collect his thoughts.

If he was satisfied with the answer he would heal one of the various smaller wounds or even allow the man to be propped up on a table briefly to let the blood rush out of his head.

If he was not satisfied…she would never forget how that played out.

Ron would not yell or call the man a liar. He would simply stand and steadily pull out another half foot of intestine. He would then let the Lotus Blade flare a dark blue and heal the wound and the eviscerated bowel. If the man passed out form the pain or shock, Ron would simply repeat the process over the man's chest or head and he would be brought back to conscious.

It was a disturbingly peaceful and quite operation. Over the course of the next hour they had learned everything they needed. Ron went over his notes asked a few clarifying questions and then walked over and pressed firmly on his neck at which the man went limp.

Ron then proceeded to carefully reopen the bowel, push the intestines back in and held the blade over his stomach. After an intense blue light filled the room he checked his vitals and gave a slight nod,

"He'll be fine."

After sitting in stunned silence through out the whole ordeal she finally found her voice slightly trembling, "Ron, what have you become?"

He sighed as he walked to her and knelt in front of where she sat on a couch, he took her hands and said with a clear and unflinching voice,

"I have become what the situation required. I did not enjoy this at all, but it was the only way to get the information I required in time. God only knows what those animals are doing to Shego right now." He paused and pushed the thought form his mind,

"Regardless Kim, I have never been more clear on one objective in my life…I need to find her and get her back."

She had enough; the shock of the gory scene had stunned her into a semi-haze as she watched him physically extract the man's secrets. But now she rebounded in spades,

"What in the hell are you thinking Ron!?! This is torture, looking past the legal side what about your soul? What has she done to you!?!" she further ranted everything she could think about how he had become a monster, and how could he possibly rationalize this until he finally interrupter her. She barely heard him at first because was speaking barely over a whisper…

"I love her"

"WHAT!?!"

"I know it is probably the last thing you want to hear but I do positively love her. I can't explain it, but hell who ever can when feelings run this deep?" He noted the stunned silence and dumbfounded look on her face and forced himself to push on,

"To answer your question, no she has not manipulated me or mind zapped me. In fact she tried to push me away when we realized this situation was developing. It was then after I realized how close to darkness the thought of her leaving me took me that I realized that she is my balance." He took a deep breath and concluded,

"And yes Kim I would sell my soul or whatever it takes to get her back."

She had never once in her life heard him speak with more passion about anything…

She was at a loss. The gears in her head were spinning like mad, but she just couldn't get them to click.

They say there are defining moments in your life when everything just comes into focus and you can see far more clearly. Kim Possible the Girl Who Can Do Anything would later recall that this was one of those moments.

All the pent up tension and general angst that had grown between the two of them over some time now was laid out before her. The blow-out the other night at the bar. That kiss at the Prom. A thousand little moments, good and bad with this person who had been her best friend culminated in a single thought…

_He's right._

_We were never really equally matched, and we just never wanted to see it. He has always been there for me out of the fierce love and loyalty that we developed but somehow we never chose to confront the cold hard truth…we are cut from far different cloth. Maybe Shego somehow does balance out his 'Ronness'. _

She looked back at the man laid out on the floor and tried to comprehend where all that in with what she just saw. _How am I supposed to deal with what he just did? How can we move on from here?_

He watched patiently as these thoughts and more played out across her face. After some time he leaned forward again and gave her the most heartfelt look he had ever given her,

"Kim I don't expect you to understand, approve of or even forgive what I have done here. I do have to ask you one thing and I know how hard it will be… I need your help to get her back."

She did not want to hear that…at all. "You have got to be kidding me…I jumped half way around the world to come rescue you! Not my arch foe! I thought you needed help!"

"I do. You heard him. Where they have taken her is not exactly Green Acres and I need someone to watch my back." Seeing the conflicted look on her face he decided to pull out his last ace, "Kim in all the years we have been together I have always had your back and never once have I asked you to trust me like this…but I need your help to save her."

She was torn. She knew the right thing to do was help her oldest friend. No matter where they stood as far as a relationship goes, she knew he would be there for her. But another part knew that she had a duty to take him in for what she had seen and his earlier rampage.

Looking for a middle ground she took the page of notes from Ron and pulled out her Kimmunicator. "I am not promising anything- let's see what Wade can find out…"

"Hey Kim-did you find Ron?" came the anxious visage of her tech guru.

"Yeah he's here with me now…please don't ask for details. I need everything you got on the northern border of Pakistan and Afghanistan…" she was looking at the notes for further details when he interrupted.

"How did you know already?"

"What are you talking about, Wade? I have a…source here on Shego's abduction…"

"Must be a popular destination then, because you just got a mission request from GJ. It looks like Dr. Dementor is in that same area going after a nuclear power cell at one of their power facilities."

Kim thought about it for a brief moment, she looked at Ron who had a far off look in his eye. "Maybe we can make this work…Wade I need a ride for two. In route I have a list of notes and leads I need you to track down and see if we can get a bead on where they are holding Shego"

"So which mission are you tackling?" Ron's head swiveled up at that and she looked him in the eye. With a nod she realized that for better or worse she would always back him up like he had her.

"Both."

"OK, I'll get cracking on this right away, your ride will be landing at the nearby pier in 20 minutes."

With a tired smile she began to sign off, "As always Wade you ro…", something on the screen behind Wade came into view and she suddenly saw…

"Wade is that Bonnie behind you!?!

**Middleton, CO**

**The basement operations center of one surprised super genius**

Wade jumped like he had been bitten.

"What are you doing here!?! How did you get in?!?" he exclaimed as he instinctively hit the privacy mode on all his screens.

Bonnie looking far more vulnerable than she had probably let anyone see her in a LONG time was torn on what to say. After a substantial pause she seemed to have reached a decision….

"Your Mom let me in…I need your help."

Wade was stumped, "Uh, er…OK, what can I do?" he barely stuttered out. Having someone else in his room, this close that looked that good…well it was far more than his insecurities with people was ready to handle.

For her part Bonnie was a bit surprised as well. All she had ever seen of Wade was a pudgy little head shot on the Kimmunicator.

_Hmmm, he has definitely been working out. Not bad……Wait NOT what I'm here for… _was her inner monologue while she tried to figure out how best to actually ask another human being for help- not her strong point.

"Listen Wade, I know you have absolutely no reason to help me, much less trust me…I made a mistake and I'm trying to fix it." She spat out with more honest emotion than he had ever heard from her.

Intrigued he calmed down a bit, fixing problems is after all what he did, "All right why don't you sit down. I have to sign off with K.P. and I'll be right with you." Turning around to the console he unsecured the privacy mode to an expectant red head…

"WADE! Where did you go? Are you all right? Bonnie isn't trying to mess with you or anything is she…"

"Easy Kim! Don't worry about Bonnie…" he said cutting off the incoming assault of questions. He briefly looked off screen at the almost fragile looking Bonnie and sighed briefly, "I am sure everything will be fine. I am receiving the info from your source right now and I will run it all to ground by the time you get to your drop zone."

"What do you mean easy!?! You have that conniving bitch in your room and you expect me to take it easy!?! Are you sure your…."

"KIM! This falls squarely in that arena we talked about where you either trust my judgment or count me off the team. Make a decision and get back to me if you decide to get off your high horse. You better get going your ride is almost there." With that he cut the connection and turned to a rather astonished brunette a few feet away.

After a brief second of disbelief she had to ask, "Did you just handle K and cut her off…for me?"

He wasn't sure what to say. Instantly his apprehension about people and poor social skills came back to the fore front, "Uh, well I wish I could say it was; she has just proven lately that she needs to be reminded that her friends need to be treated more like, well, um- friends…"

"Hmmmmm…" was all she could think as she re-appraised the young man in front of her. _He's obviously uncomfortable as hell with me in here; not like I'm anymore comfortable being here…need to take it easy…boy he did put her in her place. Regardless of reason it felt nice that he didn't immediately back her 'bitch' thing…_

After some brief introspect she decided to put her cards on the table…

"Regardless of why, thanks. I'm really not looking for a tussle with K right now. As for your question I need your help to fix a big mistake…" she paused and unconsciously bit her lip as she thought back,

"I got in a fight with my brother Blake right before he…went off…I said some things I didn't mean…he probably…hates…" her building tears finally spilled forward effectively cutting off the rest of her sentence. _Get a hold of yourself, girl- he probably will see this as weakness and walk all over…._

Now we all know this is where Wade would have scored major cool guy points playing the sensitive understanding guy with an affectionate hug that she would have willingly curled up into and who knows what else…but come on folks this is Wade.

In his growing panic at this much human contact and complete ineptitude at personal interaction he did the only thing his analytical mind could muster. He grabbed a box of Kleenex and for fear of actually touching the beautiful girl, threw it to her.

Hitting her square in the head as she leaned forward to rub her eyes.

"What in the hell!?!" She started to yell until she saw the utterly crestfallen and good natured look on his face.

_He was trying to be nice? Even though I lost it and showed weakness he…_ At a loss for understanding she just rubbed her forehead, sat back down and took a tissue. After blowing her nose she looked at him and could easily tell he was mortified and damn near catatonic. She decided to let him off the hook…

"Thanks…I think"

After assessing that she was in fact not going to lash out like a tigress he found his voice…barely, "I am soooo sorry. I just meant…er..I just wanted to, uh…."

"I understand Wade." She paused reassessing him yet again, "This is really tough for you isn't it…me being here?"

Jumping on any turn of subject from his goof up he started to ramble quickly, "Uh, yeah. My folks thought it was Agoraphobia and then my child hood shrink thought it was some sort of Hikikomori but after I got my first doctorate in Psychology I was able to assure my Mom I am just REALLY shy around people….uh, what are you looking at?"

"Did you just say your FIRST doctorate?" she asked in disbelief.

"Did I mention that? Uh, did I forget to mention I'm not that comfortable talking about myself…really NOT comfy…uh, so back to you…what can I do to help!"

Deciding to let it drop, for now; she collected herself and tried to explain a little more clearly this time; "Like I was trying to say before I, uh, well like I was saying; I got in a fight with Blake and well we left on really bad terms. I was hoping maybe with all your techno know how; you could maybe…."

"Get you in touch with him?" He concluded for her sensing her apprehension. "I don't know Bonnie. My guess is he is really out of touch…"noting the dejected look growing on her face he turned to his computers and finished, "but that doesn't mean I can't give it a try!" _Thank God she doesn't have a Puppy Dog Pout! That on her body I'd probably get her into Fort Knox if she asked!_

"Thanks…"

"No sweat, but why don't you save the thanks until I have something to offer."

More vulnerable than she had felt in along time she felt compelled to let him now she appreciated his efforts, "You don't understand Wade, just by not kicking me out the door, you have…well…ah hell, forget it…"

No one ever said Bonnie Rockweller was gifted in the feeling conveyance department.

In a startling moment of clarity Wade managed to say just the right thing, sort of, "I'm no more used to a beautiful woman asking me for help in person than you are for asking it- so let's just call it straight and see what I can do to help out."

With that he absorbed himself in the task at hand. Considering neither of them had a clue where Blake's team was didn't help much. Utilizing his extensive resources he was able to get a code for a redirected video feed signal through what seemed an endless series of satellites and transponders. The end result was an untraceable connection with an end user who currently wasn't accepting transmissions- but a connection none the less.

"That's about as good as I am going to get for now, at least until they decide to accept incoming messages", he admitted to her after explaining the situation.

"So what do we do now?" she asked. Her expression while hopeful still came across a bit deflated.

While immersed in the ether of his electronics he had taken on such a commanding and confidant demeanor. She had been impressed watching him in his element. Some of her brother's recent admonishments about her choice of friends and where she was taking her life came back to the fore front. She knew that Blake had her best interests at heart but it was going to take a lot more than a few pep talks to get her to change her spots.

_Still, he has a point. None of my so called friends would have immediately jumped to helping me like Wade just did. He really cares about people, kinda like…_

"All we can do is wait", stated Wade snapping her out of her introspection.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Well I tell you what I'm hungry, and it seems I owe you, so…"

"I can have my mother make us up something!" he blurted trying to be helpful, and secretly fearful of where this may be heading…

She stopped and smiled. _He doesn't even realize how geeky that sounded_.

Understanding that he probably had never been on out with a girl for dinner she decided to play along instead of putting him on the spot_. Beside then no one will see me with….NO! I'm not going to let that food chain shit make me hurt his feelings…_

"Sure, why not."

So they went upstairs and made some oven pizzas with his mother, who was ecstatic that her reclusive son not only had a girl in the house but such a pretty one at that!

For her part Bonnie secretly was enjoying herself. Her household never just made meals together or sat around and talked. It was a brief look into a type of life she had only glimpsed in other's homes.

Not to long after they had sat down to eat a beep went off from Wade's belt, "We got a response! Let's go!"

And in a flash they descended back down to his console where a VERY large black man was yelling through the main flat screen…

"Who in the hell are you people, this is a restricted signal on reserve status for…" as Wade came into the view of the camera, "Oh you- it's that techno kid that works with Kim. Wait one second…. Hey Boss you may want to see this!"

There was a few moments as some words were exchanged off camera and next an angry visage of Blake's form filled the screen, "Wade!?! You can't hack this signal man, I need it open for…" then a look of fear crossed his face and he his tone changed to worry,

"Is Bonnie OK? Is it Kim? What…"

"It's OK Blake. I'm sorry to have hacked your secure signal but I have someone here that really needed to talk to you. I, uh, well I'll just let her explain…" he turned and looked at Bonnie,

"You're on. I'll leave you alone. Let me know if you need anything…"

Bonnie thanked him quietly and sat in the chair, "Hi bro." she stated hesitantly.

"Bonnie!?! Is everything all right?" he seemed uncharacteristically unsure of himself.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Well no I'm not, it's just I…it hit me after you left and I said all those mean things…Blake, you're the only one who…who…" her tears said far clearer what she was trying to get across.

Blake's face on the screen softened as he began to understand. "Bonnie, I know you didn't mean those things. I knew it before you finished saying them. That's all just the cast iron bitch wall you built to survive your mother and sisters. I understand. I love you kiddo and the fact you went to all this trouble to tell me this means a lot to me…"

"But I don't want to be like that…especially to you." She blurted it out before she knew what she was saying and was frankly astonished the words came from her mouth.

"That's about the best thing I could have heard from you. You've always been a great sister, even when you weren't a good person. Looks to me though that your choice in friends may be improving…"

Noting the confused look on her face, he motioned with his head behind her towards where she was.

"Wade probably broke a dozen international laws getting you through to me. Seems to me that is the type of person you might want to invest your time in a bit more than those little groupies at the mall. Just a suggestion."

He looked somewhere off camera and gave a nod, "Listen sis it really means a lot to me that you got a hold of me, but I am really…in the middle of something here that needs my attention. I have to go; but know that I love you and will always be there for you. Tell Wade to talk to Steve before you kill the signal."

"Thanks for understanding Blake and, well, uh…I love you too." Turning with a spent look she called for Wade, who quickly got on the line with the big man and talked briefly in that insane techno speak she couldn't possibly decipher.

"Thanks Steve for the pointer on the signals and this info for the transceiver; I'll get right on it! Good luck and stay safe!" signing off he turned to what appeared to be a shell of the teen vixen he knew as Bonnie Rockweller.

Uncertain of what to do he stood, grabbing something and walked over to her. "I promise not to hit you with them this time…" he lamely joked as he handed her the box of tissues.

With a surprised smile she took the box and looked at him with red rimmed eyes, "Thanks. You really are something else."

Blushing ferociously he walked back to the security blanket of his computers. "Just glad I could help…"

Years later she would look back and wonder if this was the moment that her life took a turn and whether she would still blame her brother's "bad" influence as what caused her to do it. Regardless she got up and hugged him.

"You did help me. And you know what I think I'm starting to understand some the stuff my bro has been trying to tell me. So I'm going to do something I don't think gets done often enough…"

Nervously he bit at the bait, "What's that?"

"I'm going to help you. Be ready to go; tomorrow at 5. I'll take care of everything else."

Turning on her heals she left with what would seem to be the first genuine smile she had worn in a long time.

When his mother cautiously entered later she was startled when she found him eyes glossed over and seemingly in a trance.

"What's wrong!?!" she asked as she shook him back to reality.

His response damn near put her into a trance, "If I didn't know any better I think I have a date with Bonnie Rockweller…"

**The North Atlantic**

**Global Justice Supermax Penitentiary, sole facility of a small, cold island**

"No grass! No grass! Not even a blade of weed! What sort of inhumane monster would put the world's most dangerous golfer on a stinkin' rock with NO GRASS!"

And so went Duff Killigan's nightly ritualistic rant, much to the guards and his neighboring cell mate's disgust. He seemed almost fixated on this singular point and would nightly enlighten them all to his disdain for his accommodations.

So in hindsight it is not all that surprising that the escape went off so easily. In fact it was a pretty pathetic resistance put up by the guards when the shape charge blew in Duff's cell wall and a rope ladder unfurled to whisk the mad golfer away.

Climbing in to the pilot less drone helicopter he found a bag containing his normal kilt and clothes. Attached to a brand new golf bag stocked with his special balls was a note,

Dear Mr. Killigan,

Your singular talents have been requested on the behest of my employer. You need not worry yourself with the details your travel will be taken care of as well as any food, equipment or items you may require. Simply state your needs to the voice box on the console and they will be awaiting your arrival. In the mean time I encourage you to make yourself comfortable and enjoy your new found freedom. At the completion of this operation you will be handsomely rewarded to the tune of 10 million dollars with substantial bonuses dependent on your contributions to our mission.

I look forward to meeting you in person and thank you in advance for your assistance.

Very Respectfully,

Your Liberator.

"Cryptic crap! Who do they think they are messin' with? I should…" noting something on the seat to his left he paused,

"Grass!" he exclaimed as he contentedly sat down with the latest issue of Golf Digest.

Several hundred miles away a man spoke into a phone as he watched a closed circuit feed of the helicopter's cabin.

"Yes sir, it would appear Duff Killigan has been brought into the fold."


	7. Ch 7 Depth & Determination

**A/N: **Thanks to all of you that made the effort to leave reviews. Specifically **Cody MacArthur Fett, Dagda06117032, FireStorm2K7, axt, Ken, Thoughts13 & reddragonn343.**

A special note about **Balrog60, beeftony, eoraptor, aedan cameron and Quis Custodiet;** these are the folks that take the time to write the introspective reviews that we all hope to get and learn from. It's that sort of interaction that helps writers grow and makes this FanFic genre so remarkable. Thanks guys I owe any improvements to ya'll.

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: This is Disney's world; I'm just crashing the party. As stated before- NO naked mole rats were injured or mistreated in the completion of this chapter.

The first poem used in this chapter is credited to Ray1997, his stuff is on the web and worth checking out, unfortunatley the site seems finnicky about me posting the web address.

The second one is my own and I claim all rights.

**The Blade and The Bloom**

**Chapter 7**: _**Depth & Determination**_

**In a C-130 Hercules high above western Pakistan**

**Once again delving into the dark corners of Ron Stoppable's head**

_Man this had better be a dream, cause there is no way in hell I am going to sit in detention one minute and listen to Mr. B…_

Ron's internal rant was cut short as the door of the all too familiar D hall class room opened. Where he was expecting Mr. Barkin to come crashing in he was rather stunned when non other than Master Sensei entered.

"Uh, Master Sensei, not that I'm complaining about seeing you- you know nuthin' but love for the dream visits. But why are we in detention?!"

Smiling his knowing little smile he simply replied as he does so often…with a question, "You tell me, Ronald-san".

"Oh Man! Not the question with a question, cryptic stuff! I'm having a hell of a week; don't you think you could just throw me a bone for once?"

"Fair enough, here is your bone as you say. Other than the last time we spoke, you have chosen the setting of every one of our meetings. The fact that you were unaware of this explains why we generally were in vague, non-descript locations. So you tell me, why are we in detention?"

"I guess I feel I did something wrong?" he hesitatingly hedged.

"Possibly. Do you feel you were wrong in your recent actions?"

Realizing that this man he respected must have seen or somehow known every thing he did in trying to find Shego, he felt his face go red and heart race. "Master Sensei, I broke a lot of laws and hurt a lot of people. You must be so ashamed of me. I didn't mean to disgrace you or the school..."

Sensei calmly but firmly interrupted, "Is this what I asked? No. I asked if YOU felt you were wrong. Worry not about other's perceptions at this time."

Ron attempted to calm and center himself to sort out his true feelings on the matter. In all honesty he hadn't really thought about what he was doing since the ambush back on that Hong Kong Street. Everything since then had been a sort of blur. He allowed his instincts to take control and with his connection with the Blade become a veritable force of Nature as far as the Chinese underworld was concerned.

Sensei calmly waited as Ron's inner dilemma played out. He knew there was much to do to prepare Yori for her destiny and the school for the upcoming battle. However it was pivotal moments such as these he had learned to attend to with care, despite knowing that the person could handle the task.

After some time Ron seemed to resolve himself to an answer, and oddly it seemed he was not pleased that he felt so sure about it.

"Master Sensei I think there's been a mistake. I may not be the Chosen One like you predicted. I have thought through everything. Every thought, every bit of pain I inflicted, every life I probably took in that ambush, every soul wrenching action. I would not take a single thing back, nor do I feel an ounce of remorse. If you want to retake the Blade, I offer it freely, since I've never wanted to dishonor your trust."

"Why do you believe you are capable of doing these things with out remorse?" Sensei asked in an even and totally non-judgmental voice.

"I honestly don't know. If you'd have asked me a month ago whether I was capable of feeling this way or doing what I did- I'd have laughed at you. I simply did what I felt the situation required. I wish there was a better way that would have gotten results as quickly- I just saw no other course so I went on the offensive."

"Why was this so important to you?"

"They had Shego! I need her more than I ever needed anyone. In that little alley it just, I don't know…just clicked. I know I probably screwed up the whole Bloom thing you have been hinting about too. I'm sorry, Sensei. I guess to you it looks like I sold my soul to the devil"

"What was it I told you the first time you visited Yamanouchi and you thought you had lost the Lotus Blade in battle with Monkey Fist and Fukushima?"

"Uh, er, something about as long as my heart was pure it would always find its way home"

"Exactly. So what does this teach us?"

"That I haven't lost all of my memories as I've been loosing my mind?" was Ron's feeble attempt at humor.

Chuckling slightly to himself, "Call the blade", he commanded.

"Huh? Well OK," With a little concentration he rather effortlessly materialized the Lotus Blade in his hands. Feeling the reassuring weight in his hand and without the need to hurt anyone with it he simply thought for a while in meditation and clarity soon found its way above the broiling emotions.

"So you're not just pointing out the obvious that the Blade comes to me because my heart is still pure. But also that since I chose in Hong Kong to fight for Love instead of the Power I was tempted with; that we are basically in this together and the Blade will try to help keep me on the path…"

Letting more than a little astonishment reach his eyes Sensei replied, "I am impressed; I thought it would take much longer for me to pull that out of you."

"How could I still have a pure soul and do all those things, and not feel…bad about it?"

"As I have said before, yours is the way of Bushido. Forgive me as I paraphrase one of your presidents, you are the 'Man in the Arena'. Others may criticize or point out how things could have been done better after the fact, but you have chosen to live in the now and fight the good fight as dirty and bloody as it need be. You didn't want this, even tried desperately to deny it in the beginning. But you have risen to the challenge and now will defend all those who would later spit on you for doing what must be done and that they often lack the fortitude to do for themselves."

Ron let this sink in. As he did their surroundings faded and resolved back to the training yard in Yamanouchi. He almost visibly seemed to shed the burden of doubt he didn't even realize he was wearing before he spoke with a bit of real humor laced in his voice.

"So I guess you don't want the Blade back?"

Smiling Sensei replied, "No, I have a feeling you will need it soon. While I am not totally familiar with your jumping out of perfectly good airplanes I do believe the little green light and a man opening the door means you should wake up. _Shichiten hakki_ Ronald-San"

And with that Ron woke up, stood, checked his chute which he had been wearing and jumped out the door.

_Well he certainly doesn't have any fear of free fall anymore_, thought Kim Possible as she tucked her arms in to try and catch up with Ron on their descent. He had all but hurled himself out the door as soon as the Jump Master gave the green light.

As they collected themselves under canopy they maneuvered for an opening between several small hills for better concealment.

While they were burying their parachutes to cover their tracks Ron spoke for the first time since before they got on the plane.

"According to Wade's last Intel we should only be a few miles east of where they are holding Shego."

"And the nuclear facility is several miles in the opposite direction." Kim pointed out.

"So we better pick her up quick and get moving then, KP!"

"Ron, I know you are rather…determined about rescuing her but don't you think nuclear fuel cells in a madman's hands rate over rescuing a convicted felon?" she stated as evenly as possible.

"It's frickin' Dementor! When has that Napoleonic freak ever gotten anything right?" he retorted a little more loudly than stealth dictated.

"She's my arch frickin' nemesis! Why would I risk a mission for her? I say Weapons of Mass Destruction win out!" she nearly shouted

"And what you say always goes, right? For once can't you trust MY gut on something? Shego is just a short hike that way and I know you'll think I'm weird but I can feel that she needs us…soon."

Realizing that she may need to use a bit more finesse she took a deep breath and tried a different tact,

"Listen I can appreciate that you are compelled to rush in and save the day. But…."

"But nothing Kim! I am going to get her out of that shit hole with or without you…"

"So you're going to strike off on your own with no idea what you're up against…"

Suddenly they were both silenced as a flash of pink jumped up between their faces and attempted to smack both their noses.

"Fweinds!" came the diminutive bellow from one naked mole rat.

Realizing at the same time that they were having a shouting match in the middle of a war zone, they both fell silent and were rather chagrined. More so that a small rodent had to force them to remember tactics on top of his reminder that up until a week or so ago they were supposedly best friends.

Leaning down and picking up Rufus, Ron collected himself and sighed deeply.

"Kim, I am going to turn around and go rescue Shego. I really want you with me and I don't like the idea of you out here alone. But for once I am calling the plan on a mission. Follow my lead, please…"

And with that he grabbed his pack and headed out.

Watching him go, Kim Possible felt like she had been dealt her hardest blow ever.

_He really did it. He left. I thought for sure if I just dug my heals in he would have my back as always…Shego you better damn well be in trouble…_

Turning and heading the other way she had never felt quite as alone as she did at that moment.

**Opium processing building a few miles to the west**

As a matter of fact Shego was in trouble.

Tied to a wall with very heavy chains that for some reason she couldn't melt, she was beginning to feel something she rarely felt…despair.

She had calculated every possible escape attempt and it seemed that these guys had prepared for everything. From the looks of their operation someone must be pulling the strings because they just did not seem organized enough to have anticipated all her normal tricks, much less transport her to God knows where in the process.

From her vantage point in a downstairs corner she could make out a few details of her immediate surroundings. It looked like a small two story warehouse with a series of suspended walk ways, scaffolds and small rooms comprising the upper floor. It was pretty dark with intermittent tract lighting and some various equipment making up the majority of electrical output. It was cold and dank and with her tattered clothes it was all she could do to fight off a chill.

She had noticed that the majority of the dozen or so guys that manned this joint had been packing up some heavy hard wear and seemed to be prepping to leave. She couldn't tell if it was for an attack or what but considering she could smell all the caustic materials needed to process opium she figured she was still in Asia. Given the wardrobe and the Arabic she could decipher she was more than a little concerned that she had found her way into a Taliban stronghold.

_But that doesn't make sense! I have never messed with the drug trade or the religious fringe. Hell I haven't even been to Asia in years. I heard them mention that Yama character a couple of times recently and it certainly sobered the room up quick. What did I do to this guy?_

Her thoughts were cut short as the guy she had come to recognize as 'in charge' posted one sentry in the room and made his way out to the sound of rumbling engines that took off into the distance.

_Not this guy, damn_.

She had noticed the sentry earlier and dubbed him 'Chester' since he seemed to dress slightly different than the rest and didn't seem to have that religious zealot air about him like the rest of them. He indicated that pretty clearly by his regular leering gazes at her tattered clothes and defenseless posture.

After several minutes he pulled a chair up in front of her and just let his eyes wonder all over her body.

"Damn, I'm going to need a shower just from you looking at me, Oh no! Don't you even think about it you little shit!"

She was right to be concerned as he got up and ensured that all her bindings were secure, and even added a few more to be sure that her legs were parted and bound as well as her arms.

"No, fuck head you are NOT doing this!"

Her shouts only seemed to incense the deviant on. From his grimy little beard to the general body odor and disheveled clothes that were being dropped on the floor he represented every part of a nightmare coming to life.

It was all Shego could do not to scream out in terror as he ripped her shirt off. Knowing that would only play into his sick little desires she did her best to simply draw into herself and push out what was now beyond her control. She even tried flaring her plasma over her whole body to burn him but in her panicky state she just couldn't seem to collect herself to make a coordinated defense.

As he ripped her ragged pants off she was as close as she had ever been to giving into the depths of shock.

She had never felt so exposed, so disgusted, so…defiled.

After ripping enough clothes to do his deed he stepped back to survey his work and drink in the sight before him. In her last act of defiance Shego mustered up the courage to glare and spit at him.

She briefly thought he lost his nerve and that somehow this had miraculously stopped him when his eyes went wide as saucers.

Then she noticed a slight trickle of blood escape the corner of his mouth as he gasped. As the would be rapist fell to the floor she saw what she had refused to let her mind and heart hope…

Ron was on her in a heartbeat slashing the adamantium bindings with a blazing blue Blade and collecting her falling form into a fierce embrace.

After a few moments to savor the moment and each others closeness; he offered her some clothes from his bag- she just couldn't resist,

"Took ya long enough."

"Sorry…traffic was a bitch."

There cliché reunion was cut short with coughing from her assailant as he hopelessly tried to drag his bleeding form towards his AK-47 that he unwisely left several feet away.

Ron closed the distance and began savagely kicking him repeatedly in the gut, face and groin…wherever his foot could gain purchase."

As the scumbag passed out Ron swiftly reached down and healed his sword wound and brought him back only to begin to rain blow after blow on him,

Rufus scurried up onto Shego's shoulder and gave her a lopsided hug to her cheek.

After he expressed his relief in seeing he looked at her with pleading eyes, "Pweese stop him?"

She was torn. She was actually glad to see the guy getting what he deserved; what she wasn't sure she had the strength to do currently. But then she looked at Ron as he savagely rained malice and mayhem on her attacker.

He was almost systematic in his approach, ensuring to hit separate muscle groups and organs with each blow of foot or hand. He never screamed or cried. In fact his face was almost passive as he methodically made this man pay for every intention and deed done towards her.

It chilled her. She instantly realized the hell he must have put himself through to get to her and knew what she had to do.

Steadying her hand she carefully paused him with a touch to the shoulder and spoke,

"I may not be sure about any prophecy or Bloom nonsense but I am sure about one thing, You and Me. If you do this you are changing who you really are. You'll be changing the man I fell in love with. You're better than this…"

As she gestured to the bloody mess of a man on the floor Ron seemed to change slightly as he came out of the mode that he needed to be in to get to her. He remembered everything Sensei had said and how he felt as he blazed across Asia to get to her.

"You're right Shego" he leaned down and healed all the man's mortal wounds. Before he stood though he look up to her and gave her an almost feral grin, "but that doesn't mean I have to leave him capable of doing that to anyone else." In one swift motion he stood and swept the blade down with a twist, cutting the man's penis cleanly off with a fire trimmed pass that cauterized the wound.

The man passed out from pain and shock before he could even cry out.

Before Shego could even say anything, flood lights blinded them and a lone figure stood above on a scaffold clapping,

"I couldn't agree more…" said a man from the shadows. "I despise criminals like him, that torture defenseless people, that inflict pain without mercy…wouldn't you agree Shego?"

"Who the hell are you!?!" yelled Ron as his Blade flared blue and her hands green..

"I'd stay that fancy sword of yours. And you Shego, I see you finally got your…spark back. I caution you to stay where you are…every access has been rigged to explode and right now you have several marksman trained on each of you. If you don't believe me, simply note the red I have added to your light show."

Looking down they both stifled groans as a half dozen laser sighting red dots trained on each of their chests from various directions.

Dowsing their flames Ron decided on a different tact, "So you've got our attention." Continuing with even more disdain in his voice, "This is the part where you monologue about how bad-ass you are and have captured us and what villainy awaits, yadda, yadda, yadda…if you don't mind, I'm getting bored with that crap, can we just skip to the fighting part."

"Perhaps" with a swift motion and a loud bang Ron found himself with a large gun shot hole in his right thigh.

"Owww." Was all Ron muttered as he dropped to the floor and started patching himself up.

"You bastard! You shot Ron!" Shego screamed without thinking. Before she could attack she was stopped by a hand on her leg and Ron slightly chuckling as he healed himself.

"What are you laughing at?" she asked in disbelief.

"Just that I can't believe you used a South Park line at a time like this." He groaned slightly as he got to his feet and settled back on his newly hemmed leg; "OK apparently you really have something to say, please forgive my interruption. I assume by the light and shadows trick you are the mysterious Yama?"

"You are apparently as insightful as you are insolent. Yes I am Yama, but Shego and I go back much further than that name…" he paused slightly as he let his face come into the light for her to see his face.

She let out a small gasp as she recognized a leaner and more hardened version of the teenage face she had left on that football field so long ago.

"Yes Shego, I have waited all these years for this moment. You will feel everything you did to my father. I have trained and fought and worked my way into every criminal syndicate so that I can get close enough to do this to you…not just kill you but to totally destroy you…"

He was cut short as he noted the look on her face. His minds eye plan for this obviously didn't plan on her almost accepting and compliant countenance. Much less what she said next in a totally honest voice,

"You're right…you deserve your revenge"

"What? Shego let's take these guys and get out of here; I didn't get you back only to have you fall on your sword." muttered Ron.

"Ron, this is it; I can't have you killed by my past. Regardless if this kid doesn't know who his dad really was…"

Yama chuckled maliciously, "Oh but I do. Do you think all these years immersed in the criminal underground I wouldn't learn the reputation of the feared Reaper? Where do you think I came up with the name Yama? I have had to embrace who my father was to get this close to you…I sold my soul to claim yours."

She thought for a moment and seemed to resign herself to her fate as she made her choice, "I got nuthin'. After what I did to your dad I've been locked into this life; seems fitting you'd end it. Just please let Ron go."

"Fair enough. I have no qualms with him anyways. I must say I was impressed with how you handled my crews to get to me. Quite the little dark angel aren't you?"

"What is he talking about?"

"Uh well I had to lean on that moral ambiguity I was telling you about…"

Yama interrupted with a bellow, "Oh please, let's not sugar coat anything, you cut a bloody swath through Hong Kong to claim your beauty. You're acclaimed as some hero, but you're no different than me or my father."

"Say what you want but if you think I'm throwing all that away to leave her now, you need your head examined…"

"Ron…"

"No! Shego, this is where I belong, at your side. If your looking for your redemption through this; well I guess I'm due as well…so quit your yappin' and bring it on Yama or whatever you call yourself…"

Yama considered for a moment, "As you wish" Raising his gun he gave the gesture for all shooters to fire.

A veritable lead rainstorm of automatic gunfire descended on them from every angle. As Ron and Shego attempted to shield each other with their own bodies an emerald lotus flower enveloped them both. Its brilliant form effortlessly ricocheted the rounds back at will.

The sheer volume of bullets flinging randomly about ensured that many of the gunmen were hit by their own rounds.

When the tempo of fire subsided two flashes bolted forward and up amongst them. One Blue and one Green; they quickly dispatched the remaining shooters.

Ron reached Yama first. Shego came up behind him as he crouched over the fallen form. The man was a bloody mess, with a gun shot to his upper chest and another in his lower abdomen.

With blood coughing out with each haggard breath he spoke, "It would appear…cough… someone has other plans for you two. I had my chance…" before he could finish, his ashen grey face went slack as he lost conciseness.

Shego looked expectantly at Ron, not really wanting to say what her eyes were pleading for him to do, to heal their assailant.

Ron looked up at her uncertainly, "He'll keep coming, no matter what; if I heal him".

Taking a deep breath she made her choice, "If we have a shot together, we need to start off clean. I'm tired of having blood on my hands. This may not wipe it away but I'm not interested in another generation added to the score."

"All right…if you're sure." Taking his blade to the wounds it took some time and a lot of energy to heal the extensive wounds.

After collecting up his pack and some gear they may need Ron proceeded to an exterior wall and cut a hole for them to walk through. Effectively circumventing the explosive rigged doors, he turned with a meaningful expression to Shego.

"Shego I know that we need to talk. I have done some…things I'm not proud of. But I know without a doubt I need you in my life."

"Hey sport I'm no angel either and frankly I don't know if I deserved the break I just caught but there must be something to this whole Bloom thing…"

"I agree but right now it will have to wait. Now we need to find Kim."

"What!?! Princess is here, where?"

"Well we got a call that your ol' buddy Dementor was trying to steal a reactor cell not far from here. She…decided, to head out for that mission while I rescued you."

"You left Kim alone out here…to get me?" The enormity of the fact that Team Possible was effectively broken up by that choice was not lost on her. "Ron, were you…" seeing the pained look on his face she paused, "Are you sure?"

He stopped and looked at her then the horizon where his life long friend was. Trying his best to bring back his normal "Ron-Shine" he answered,

"Yep! I got the most baddical girl in my life back and now with a little help from her, we'll go pick up KP and blow this Popsicle stand!"

He pulled out his Kimmunicator and attempted to get a fix on Kim. He was a bit concerned when the no signal screen popped up.

"Must be getting some interference from all these mountain tops. What do you say we 'borrow' one of these vehicles they so thoughtfully left for us and get to some higher ground?"

"So now you want to add grand theft auto to your crime spree? What am I going to do with you?" she retorted playfully.

"Uh, actually I was hoping you'd show me how to hot wire the damn thing."

Looking at him, dirty and bloodied from a cross continent saga to rescue her; she realized that there was no way she was ever letting this guy out of her life if she could help it.

"Oh what the hell…."

**A small lake in the back woods of Colorado**

The local kids always made jokes about "Crystal Lake", the ski mask wearing "Jason" and such; but there was real fear simmering underneath that bravado/humor. If anyone had bothered to note that Lake Gottascream was connected and several miles down stream from a certain Camp Wannaweep they may have better understood.

So when the government looking vehicles came in and demanded the sheriff take them to the latest "incident" concerning the lake there was certainly much gossip stirred up. Though the fishermen were pissed about the electro currents being shocked though the lake no one complained when an unconscious…thing was brought up and resuscitated.

A few folks remembered the news stories a few years back about the camp and finally realized who had been terrorizing campers for some time. In the commotion of the whole event no one bothered to note that the vehicles taking the monster away weren't affiliated with any known agency. In fact not a single person could recall any credentials being offered.

In the lead vehicle a call was placed, "Yes sir, the amphibious creature known as Gill has been brought into the fold. I am certain that he will be willing to help when he hears what you have to offer….Roger that sir, we'll meet you there."

**Middleton, CO**

**Wade's basement**

To say that the young prodigy was nervous would be an understatement. He had been steadily improving on his 'people skills' or lack there of. But there was a huge difference between his little forays out in public or on missions with KP and going out with one of the hottest cheerleaders Middleton High had ever seen.

After agonizing over what he would do and say for the better part of the day he was almost relieved when the door bell rang.

When Bonnie descended the stair case she was more than a little impressed by what she found. Wade was decked out in a sharp set of khaki dockers, shined black shoes, a nice dark blue shirt and a black leather coat. He had put more effort than…well…ever; in grooming and preparing for this little foray out into the world.

Not to mention that it was the first time she had ever seen him out of his usual baggy clothes and in something more form fitting.

_Wow, he sure has grown up and filled out hasn't he? I guess when he's hunched over his computers it's easy to miss that he has seriously gotten in shape…hmmm._

With a pleasant smile she stated evenly, "You clean up well Mr. Load. I take it you're ready to step out?"

"Well…yeah! I mean….sure? Oh hell, I'm already screwing this up aren't I?"

Noting the look of concern and almost despair in his eyes she crossed the room and took his hand in hers.

"Don't worry Wade, I know this may be a lot but I'm gonna help you with this whole public anxiety thing. I mean who better to teach the ropes of handling crowds than the queen bee bitch of them all?" she asked with genuine good humor.

"You're not a…oh you were playing with me. Sorry I guess I'm just keyed up a little too much."

"Don't sweat it. We're going to go out and have a nice casual night on the town. I know a nice quiet little place that will be perfect."

After he nodded in acceptance they went out to her car and headed off. Falling into an amicable silence she was amused to hear him humming to the R&B song on the radio.

"You like these guys? Hmmm, me too. They just play it to death on the rotations." She noted.

"You said it, I've been thinking about hacking the radio station's play list and doing something about that actually."

Laughing she had no doubt that he was capable and amused that he not only had the same dislike but had a plan to fix it.

"You do that a lot, don't you Wade?"

"What hack into stuff, kind of a hobby, yeah"

"No…fix stuff. You see a problem and instead of bitching about it you just figure out a way to make it better. I guess not enough folks do that anymore." She stated as a matter of fact, noting to herself that she was also thinking of her brother and even her father when he wasn't around her mother.

Arriving at a nice little Italian restaurant they sat down to a pleasant booth with impeccable service.

"Nice place Bonnie, I've never been here before. What do you recommend?"

She was actually taken aback by the comment. Men that she dined with generally weren't interested in her opinion; more often than not they were just interested in getting her in the sack. She realized that this may be a more interesting evening than she thought.

"Well I usually get the Fettuccini Alfredo but Blake swears by the Veal Parmesan."

Wade caught her brief pause and reaction and accurately assessed the cause_. No one ever asks her what she thinks do they?_

"Bonnie, tell me if I'm being too forward, but do you like your friends?"

Almost choking on the sip of water she was taking, she retorted, "What!?! What sort of question is that?"

"An honest one. I may not have your social skills, but I think I have some descent observation and analytical skills. I see how you care about your brother and you're even taking the time with me tonight. I guess in this light I just have a hard time picturing you with the crew you normally hang with."

After thinking for a moment she replied, "Well their not ALL bad. Tara is a real sweetheart and then there's…and well there's….hmmm." Stopping and thinking she almost growled in frustration, "OK I get your point but don't think just because I'm taking my brother's advice about not being so cynical, that I'm overnight going to go all 'Shiny Happy People'"

"Heck I wouldn't want you too, I'd have to run a scan for a mind control chip or something!" he joked in return.

"Why you! Was that a jibe? You sure you ain't playing possum on this whole people interaction thing?"

"Nah, I just usually prefer to have a nice buffer of ones and zeros between me and others. I understand the virtual world perfectly, but I realize I need to start plugging back into the real world more often. So thanks for taking me out tonight."

"Well it looks like it may be far more interesting than I thought. Any ideas on where you'd like to go from here?"

Wade seemed torn. While he was assessing how much he wanted to open up and trust her she mistook his pause for indecision or fear.

"Wade don't sweat it. We can keep it simple, maybe a movie or walk or…"

"It's not that Bonnie. It's just I actually do have some place I like to go. I just am not sure if you would enjoy it or if maybe you might think I'm weird…"

She cut him off, "That's OK I already think you're weird. But lately I have started to realize I need a little more weird in my life."

Smiling as he took in her statement, "Weird it is then. What do you say I find out more about you then before I let you into some of my secrets?"

And so they continued on to an excellent dinner. They were both surprised at how easily they were able to talk freely with each other. Years later they would still joke that it was the simple fact that they were such polar opposites that there simply was no barriers to get past.

After they left the restaurant, Wade gave her directions to a little brownstone building in down town Middleton. He refused to give her any details saying it would ruin the surprise.

They walked to the back of the building where you could almost feel the resounding, deep base beat coming through the walls. A large door man recognized Wade and slapped his hand in greeting,

"Hey Mr. Wade my man. I ain't seen you in an age, where you been?"

"Busy and burnin' big daddy! This here is Bonnie what do you say we get a good table back off the stage."

"You got it brother, have a good one. Nice to meet you Ms.Bonnie!"

"Nice to meet you…" she started to say as Wade pulled her in to the dark smoke filled room.

She wasn't prepared for what she saw. A small stage was in the middle of a medium sized bar room with a stool and a single microphone on a stand. A spotlight highlighted the stage and all other lighting seemed to simply create more shadows throughout the rest of the small club. A thick layer of cigarette smoke hung just off the ceiling and a waitress met them at the door. After a brief nod from the door man she led them to a cozy little booth towards the back with a great view of the stage. A smooth jazzy beat pumped out of numerous speakers throughout the place.

"OK Wade, spill. What is this place? I thought I knew every club in town."

"Well this isn't your normal dance club or anything. You probably would call it a beatnik joint; but it's more than that. People come here and perform open mic poetry, music, whatever they want to get off their chest. Sometimes folks just get up and rant in beat to the music. Either way it's a little piece of sub-pop culture that you can sit back and enjoy or even go interact with."

"And you know about this how?"

"When I realized I needed to get out more I searched on line for settings that jived with my personal interests and surprisingly I found a perfect match here. You'll see people get up on that stage ranging from doctors to college drop outs, even returning military vets. They all just want a place to say their piece and have a good time in a non-judgmental environment. So I started coming here quietly and even managed to get up on stage a few times."

"You have gotten on stage? What do you sing or something?"

"No, trust me you do NOT want to hear my singing voice. Maybe if the mood strikes you'll see. Oh Ray's getting up, he's good, you'll dig this."

They sat back and ordered a couple cups of coffee as a diminutive, bespectacled white guy of about 35 dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt got up and took the stage. As he calmly sat on the stool, lit up a smoke and blew a smoke ring; a smooth base beat struck up in the back ground. He let the beat reach an even keel and almost imperceptibly all in ear shot wanted to tap their foot as he stood and leaned towards the mic.

"Evening all you cool cats and kitties.

We all have those…things that scrape our nerves. This goes out to all of you that choose to just keep them in…perspective."

With that, all but the spot light on him went out forcing all eyes towards the lone person in the center. It was poetic in itself that all action stopped, no drinks ordered, no one talked; while someone put themselves out on a limb to perform in such an exposed way.

"This is the poem that isn't a poem,  
this is the poem that got away,  
this poem is one of a kind,  
this is the world's first scratch and sniff poem,  
this poem glows in the dark, hit the lights, check it  
out!

This poem is one in a series  
collect all 64,  
this poem will later be set to music,  
and danced to,  
by aliens learning about earth

This poem pronounces it "Poeem"  
to sound European  
this poem was brought to you by the good people at  
Poems Inc.

this is a good eatin'  
lip smacking  
in your face  
eye poppin'  
hip shakin'  
bone rattlin'  
composition

This is a chain poem  
If you get this poem  
please make ten copies  
and mail it to the poemless

this is the poem that rose to the top of the charts  
knocking my other poems off the top 100  
in a few days, it'll move down several notches

thank you for my fifteen seconds of fame  
this is my pop art poem…

this is my pop art poem.

Thank you."

As the lights came up his demeanor slightly changed as he smiled and warmly absorbed the rounds of applause he received and good natured cat calls. As Ray walked by them back to his own little table Bonnie could tell that he was just any average Joe. Probably a 9-5 job and the run of the mill routine. But for those few minutes on that smoky little stage he embraced who he wanted to be. He showed the world the guy inside screaming to get out. On a smaller scale, he had stepped into the arena.

Suddenly she understood the appeal of this place to Wade and was secretly touched that he was willing to share it wither.

After Ray's performance a pair of young long haired guys that looked like a cross between Nirvanna rejects and hippies from the 60's took the stage with acoustic guitars in hand.

"Hey there folks. We wanted to just play a set for ya'll. Just a little fun instrumental number. Nothing too involved. If it's all right with the owner we'd like to keep the lights up and just invite all you fine people to enjoy your coffees or whatever and dig a little jam we worked up."

As the pair began into a rather impressive acoustic session Wade and Bonnie settled into a pleasant little discussion about this place, Wade's first try at getting up in front of everyone here and just about anything else that the conversation turned to.

After several hours of great company and some good-some bad performances Bonnie had to take a moment to drink it all in.

_This has to be one of the most original dates I've ever been on! I thought I was going to be helping him out but he turns the tables on me and I get to see some things in a new light. _

These were just some of the thoughts playing across her face as Wade watched her discreetly and smiled. Finally he had to ask,

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Shaking her head slightly and letting an almost feline grin spread across her lips she responded, "Just that there is definitely more to you than meets the eye."

"Glad to hear you say that your cool with that, cause you'll have to excuse me for a moment."

With that he got up as another smooth base beat came up and the lights dimmed down.

As he took the stage you could tell from the dimly lit faces of those closest that he was recognized and that they were anxiously awaiting something special. Bonnie noted with some alarm that it seemed that the women especially seemed to lean forward in anticipation.

He seemed to straighten up and loose any semblance of his usual shyness in public. As the beat started to flow he simply did a slow turn as if he was looking through the darkness into each person eyes. His turn stopped as he rounded and made eye contact with Bonnie.

Despite herself her breath caught as she saw him in this persona. _Much more to him indeed…_

"All right you all you smooth daddies and hot mommas… lean back and let the beat take you to where I'm sendin' you. The base drop is a rain drop and the rhythm is the wind on your face. Yeah feel that tempest wellin' up in you…"

Pausing for a moment to ensure had set the mood for the best effect before he continued…

"The Storm…

It's coming through the hills,

caressing every ridge.

Swelling every river to overflow,

pushing every stream to it's brink.

Wind ripping at branches,

tearing at them like a lover's clothes.

Racing to and fro…back and forth,

sensually embracing Mother Nature.

Trees sweating pure pleasure until

pools collect on the swaying forest bed.

Clouds intimately enclosing the mountains

In a dark yet inviting embrace…

THEN CRACK!!!

Lightning comes down in a flash,

pulsing through every nerve in the ground.

An enflamed tree snaps and falls to the earth

at the climax of the tempest's embrace.

As the rage subsides the forest rests.

The animals, streams, trees, all lays blissfully quiet;

continuing life as usual, yet eagerly anticipating

the returning desire…

of

THE STORM.

As he finished the lights slowly came up as the music faded. Wade just calmly walked back to the booth as every one cheered his performance. Needless to say more than a few couples were eyeing each other that it was time to head home.

Feeling pretty good about himself he sat down and noted that Bonnie was staring at him and stunned silent. Wisely deciding not to push the issue he just settled up the bill and motioned for them to leave, which she did gracefully but quietly.

As they walked the few blocks to the parking lot she still had not said a word. Wade was beginning to get worried for fear that he may have done or said something wrong or that maybe that scene was too much for her.

Once they reached the car he finally decided to ask,

"Uh. Bonnie are you…"

He was cut off as she spun around, grabbed him by the back of the head and pulled him down into a mind blowing kiss. Not your Disney Family Special first date kiss, but rather a Cinemax after 10 pm kiss that was promising to melt at least one hemisphere of the genius's brain.

For her part Bonnie was acting purely on primal instinct. This had been one of the first dates in her life where the guy hadn't been pawing her and actively undressing her with his eyes the whole time. She had enjoyed an honestly interesting conversation throughout with a good looking guy who seemed to actually value her opinion.

_And then he goes up on that stage and…transforms into this… sensual being_

It felt to her that every word, every gesture, every perfectly intoned syllable was reverberating through her body. She had honestly never been so turned on by a single action with clothes on in her life.

As they finally came up for air it was his turn to impersonate a mute. She favored him with a feral smile and came clean with him.

"Wade, that was the most singularly erotic thing I have ever seen a guy do. You pushed every button I have. You have obviously been filling out and growing into one impressive man physically; but where in the hell did that come from?"

Unfortunately for him every bit of confidence and bravado he had in his element on the stage had vanished the moment those perfect lips met his.

"Uh, yeah about that, er… I mean…ah hell. I'll be honest, that was one of the first real kisses I have ever had and frankly I wish I was the guy you're thinking your holding."

Noting the confusion and growing suspicion on her face he tried to explain as he pulled away from her embrace and leaned on the hood of her car.

"That guy up there that looks like me, it's the guy I'm trying to become. Like I said, I don't have any freaky psychological condition. I just have certain elements I excel at and all others I suck at. In the ether of the Net I'm unstoppable, after a lot of practice and learning to put my feelings to pen and words I even started to shine up their on stage…"

"But when it comes to real human contact your still learning, huh?" Bonnie quietly finished for him as she began to understand. She placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned up against the car next him.

"Yeah. Big let down, huh?"

After a moments thought she smiled widely again as she pulled his face to hers and gave him a brief almost chaste kiss, "So let me get this straight you mastered cyberspace and numerous degrees before you even hit puberty. Then you knew you had to get out in the world more; so you taught yourself poetry and performance and from what I've seen knock it out of the park. You have a great body and a good heart…let down? Are you kidding?"

"So you're saying you might want to go out with me again?" he asked unable to prevent genuine hope creep into his voice.

"Boy with a learning curve like yours and me to help you along who knows where this little team could go!"

Chuckling together he attempted to kiss her again when something solid in his coat pocket hit Bonnie pretty hard in the hip.

"Oww! Is that a rock in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" she toyed with him.

"Oh I almost forgot! I whipped up a little surprise for you!"

Taken aback by his enthusiasm and the fact that he made her a gift she didn't even have another quick remark.

He pulled out a small molded fiberglass case with a fine dark leather wrap around it.

Looking at him inquisitively, he prodded her on.

"Go ahead open it. Just push the red button on the side to power up and the blue button to send."

She opened up the case and found a thinner version of the Kimmunicator. As she did as he instructed a short start up screen came up. As it warmed up he explained,

"It's a narrow wave satellite communicator that can work almost anywhere in the world. It has only three channels. The yellow one is a direct burst to 911 in case you ever have an emergency, the green one links to my system and can reach me any time, and the blue one...well you'll see."

As a connection was made she noted that Wade had stepped a few feet away to give her some privacy. Then the screen lit up and it was…

"Blake! I didn't think I'd get to talk to you again so soon…"

"Yeah, just got this thing via a weird drone air drop a few hours ago. I don't even want to know how Wade figured out where I am, but tell him thanks for me. I'm not too hot on people knowing my business at work, but I know he had your best interests at heart so he's aces in my book. Your taste in friends has definitely improved sis."

Blushing despite herself she replied, "I agree we're actually out on our "first date".

"You say that as if you intend on a second?"

"I may be a lot of things bro, but dumb ain't one of them…you bet your ass I'm going out with him again."

**Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan**

**Sensei and now Yori's personal dojo**

Alexandria had been prodding her to get some rest for several hours now, but Yori just couldn't get this train of thought out of her head.

_Who is it? _

She had appropriately delegated all preparations for the coming battle and supervised the construction of new and sturdier embattlements around the school. With the wealth of talent in the school's alumni arriving daily from around the world she felt comfortable that all that could be done was being done.

After discussing this with Sensei she decided that her best contributions would be in hitting the books so to speak and finding out any edge she could.

In doing so she came across the first and as far as she and Alexandria could tell the only mention of Sensei's successor.

"In the days of the great battle, as the Bloom comes to fruition; the child of the school's first Master will step into their own. The decisions of this pupil will greatly affect the fate of the conflict and hence the world. If faith is kept and the mantle worn this warrior will live a long and fruitful life alongside a keeper of the Mystical Monkey Power and in time find someone to share in this happiness."

_Who is it? If Ron is with…her. And the very outcome of the battle requires…her to accept the Bloom then who could this be referring to? Will I ever know love…?_

These thoughts had been harassing her for some time and eventually she decided to meditate and refocus her center. She sat in meditation in front of the Lotus Blade's stand for some time.

She had gotten used to it randomly disappearing; it had been doing that frequently. With little effort she could track where Ron was and whether he was in danger. Heeding Sense's warning not to interfere she had resisted this as much as she dared for fear she would be tempted to disobey.

She had been meditating for an untold amount of time when she felt a fluttering in her stomach. She opened her eyes and stayed perfectly still. She could hardly stifle a gasp when the emblem in the stone that held the Lotus Bloom began to shake slightly and all of the gems in the amulet began to radiate a brilliant rainbow of light.

As the kaleidoscope of colors stopped moving it settled into a single emerald hue that finally coalesced into the form of a Lotus Flower over the stand.

Unsure of what this meant and totally absorbed in the spectacle she shouldn't have been too surprised when the voice of Sensei came from beside her.

"They have found each other…and the bond is formed. The battle looms closer."

**Pakistani Power Plant #N-2A**

It took Kim longer than she expected to reach the nuclear power plant. The terrain was rougher than she thought and the elevations and hills played hell with her GPS and Kimmunicator signal.

When she arrived the place was in shambles and only a handful of the guards and workers were waking from the stun guns and tranquilizers that Dr. Dementor's men had used on them.

_Thank God for small favors…funny though. The supposed SUPER villains are so hesitant to kill personally yet are hell bent on dominating the world. But some two bit thug who just wants your wallet- is willing to put a bullet in your head._

Her musings were cut short as she found a site manager that was seemingly coherent and motioning for her.

"Kim Possible! Praise be to Allah. I am Ali Akmeer; Global Justice said they would be sending you. I only wish you could have arrived several hours ago. That mean little man in his big helmet he took the stand by reactor cell. Odd really."

"Mr. Akmeer what's so odd about taking that particular cell?"

"You see we have 5 operating nuclear cells with an almost full load of enriched uranium. The one he took was empty and awaiting fuelling. It has no power in it; nuclear or otherwise."

"Could he have made a mistake? Grabbed the wrong one in a hurry?"

"Oh no, goodness gracious no. I am awake now only because he kidnapped me from my station and forced me to locate that very cell by name. He even asked me to ensure it was the standby without fuel. I figured it was the safest thing for him to steal so I complied."

Kim was a bit conflicted. One part wanted to cheer that it seemed like Ron was right about Dementor always getting things wrong. But something was nagging at the back of her mind that things just weren't adding up and that nothing good could come from this.

She was about to start organizing recovery and first aid operations when Ali called out to her,

"Excellent! Your back up has arrived Ms. Possible; their help will be greatly appreciated."

Hearing the numerous vehicles approaching she had a sickening feeling as she responded, "I don't have a back up team…"

Seven military style trucks came to a screeching halt not far from them. Out from them poured almost a platoon of shaggy looking fighters in various forms of uniforms and tribal regalia. Only two things were common to all; a fierce look and they were all armed to the teeth.

As they spread out and secured the perimeter and ensured all the guards were still bound a lone man approached the red headed heroine.

"Kim Possible? You will come with us. Do NOT resist; it would make things become how you say…unpleasant." He stated in passable English and a threatening voice.

"Don't tell me you guys are bent on global domination too."

"No, nothing like that at all. We just want you. Welcome to Asia; kidnapping and extortion are a way of life here. With you as our captive perhaps we will finally get your government to see things our way. If not, we will have one less imperialist meddler to worry about."

With that she was tightly bound and a dirty hood was thrown over her head as she was roughly thrown in the back of one the tucks.

As the trucks turned around and headed west the way they had come she was beginning to feel the first hints of fear,

_Ron if you were ever going to come through for me- this would be that time…_


	8. Ch 8 Friends & Fireworks

**A/N: **Thanks to all you fine folks that took the time to help your friendly neighborhood writer out with a review! Your thoughts and notes have helped immensely. Specifically I would like to thank: **Morcelu, Omega-Red9, reddragonn343, Thoughts13, Dagda06117032,** and especially **eoraptor **for his in depth thoughts on the last chapter.

I'd also like to thank **mkusenagi2** for placing me in the C2 _**"The Sanctum",**_ **Deyinel** for involving me in the C2 "_**Comet Showers and Monkey Powers" **_and **astyan** for including me in the C2 _**"power hunger".**_ I consider it a true honor to be associated with all those excellent authors within your C2's; thank you. If you haven't checked those 3 out, you should! There is some awesome stories in them.

A quick note of clarification on radio communications (at least in the units I've worked with, so don't crucify me if yours used different). I decided to lend a bit of realism at several points in this chapter by utilizing radio traffic that my old unit would have used. So please bear with it and let me know what you think in reviews.

The designator "6" after a call sign generally signifies a unit's senior ranking person. In a team as small as Blake's everyone would have a name/number designator. Terms like "Angel" are abbreviation/nicknames for guardian Angel or over watch elevated marksman/sniper positions. "Talker" would obviously be the interpreters…you get the idea. Communications tend to be as short and to the point as possible and convey volumes of information in those simple succinct statements.

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: This is Disney's gig, lock, stock and barrel. I'm just having fun (even if I don't get paid for it) and hopefully ya'll are too. The character's of Blake and his team are of my own creation, as is Yama. Even if they do suspiciously resemble and sound like some guys I might have worked with….perhaps…maybe;-)

**The Blade and The Bloom**

**Chapter 8: **_**Friends & Fireworks**_

**A few kilometers on the Afghan side of the Afghanistan/Pakistan Border**

**Forward Operating Base (FOB) Viper**

To the man known over the local military radio net only as "Bastard 6" this recent little jaunt to the other side of the world was proving frustrating at best.

They had arrived 2 days ago and linked up with a small Marine grunt outfit that had "rented" an elementary school from a local village. It had worked out for everyone as it provided a base of operations with a solid wall all the way around with plenty of room for all their gear, vehicles and people. Seeing as school was out of session anyways with the families working in the fields; the village made out in spades with some American greenbacks rolling in duty free.

That should have worked in their favor while collecting intelligence on the local Al Queda and Talliban tips that Blake's team was sent out here to follow up on. He had done similar missions in various settings all over the world. It seemed like there was an unwritten script for everyone to play.

The local tribal/religious leader would start out a bit aloof and indifferent to establish his air of superiority over the "infidels" in his tribe's eyes. After at least a half hour of culturally requisite chai (tea) and small talk the American's would show every courtesy and respect to him in front of the other men of the village. Then at some point (if he was smart) the doors would be closed and the real talks would begin. Generally he would allude to knowledge of far more than he really knew and then be rather obvious in what he wanted in the way of compensation for that information.

However in this instance after all the pleasantries; Blake had to agree with his interpreter/Intel guys Reubens and Dark Elk. This guy was bluffing too much and probably knew of nothing significant going on in the area.

So they had started working the country side with tandem patrols of their Jarhead counterparts. In all honesty that was a bit of a guilty pleasure for Blake. His original back up for this mission had been a Ranger unit out of Kabul but he had requested that the grunt Marine unit be tasked in stead. Granted the Rangers were traditionally the units that got this sort of support role for "secret squirrel" groups like Blake's; but he always felt better when he had a crew of Leatherneck's watching his back. And they appreciated the shot at a higher profile mission as well.

Regardless they had come up with very little in the way of leads. This struck the whole team as odd since the Priority 1 message that contained their orders for this little trip had clearly stated that there was "Actionable Intelligence from an on site HUMINT asset". This supposed source swore that known Talliban resources and possibly Al Queda operatives were actively engaged in opium processing on or just inside the border in this area.

His team was sent out to ascertain the nature of their operations, determine their strengths/weaknesses and advise the best course of action. A secondary goal was to figure out if they had any intentions towards the nuclear power plant to the North East on the Pakistani side.

But as usual; as soon as he got there not only was the Intel shaking out to be faulty but the local brass kept pressing him with restrictions on not crossing the border and boxing in his patrol areas.

He was holding off on calling in his bosses until he got a better feel for the "sitch". That term in his mind brought a smile to his face as he thought of the feisty red-head that he had been with only days before. He usually managed to compartmentalize his "work" self and his "normal" self back in the sates on missions, but with that sister of his out of the blue getting in touch with him; it was decidedly more difficult on this outing.

As he came in from yet another long foot patrol "skirting" the border; it was with much internal griping (as a good leader he'd never bitch to his men) that nothing seemed to be going right on this particular assignment.

So it did not really surprise him that much as he pulled off his tactical gear and plopped down on his rack to hear the distinct "beep, beep, de, beep" of the communication device that had arrived last night.

Shaking his head once again at just how this kid managed to circumvent God only knows how many security layers to find his "postal address" here in the sticks of Afghanistan; he grabbed the device. Flicking it on he was surprised that instead of Bonnie's face he was greeted by the hacker in question; who looked almost panicked as he greeted him.

"Blake! Thank God that was your patrol I was tracking. I have been trying desperately to get a hold of you! You need to get you team together! I can't reach Ron and…"

"Hold on Wade!" Blake interrupted using his command voice, "First I need you to try and breathe between statements. Secondly I need to know how you are 'tracking' my team…this is not some game. How in the hell…"

Taking a breath and regaining some of his composure Wade cut him off this time, "Listen Captain, I apologize if you think I am compromising your team. I assure you I'm not and would only contact you if it was an emergency. As far as how; dude I overnight shipped a highly sensitive comm package directly to your hands in a frickin' war zone. Let's just say I'm smarter than your average bear…"

Conceding the point Blake made a mental note to do a more thorough background check on the young genius and maybe get him on the payroll… "Wait! You mentioned emergency, is Bonnie all right?" he asked with more apprehension than he could manage to conceal.

"Yeah Bonnie's fine. It's Kim that needs your help! She's been captured and her partner Ron is off the grid."

"Captured! By who? When? Wade as I'm sure you noticed I'm not exactly available for rapid response anywhere else. What can _I_ do to help?" his mind instantly raced and his mouth desperately attempted to keep up.

"Blake you're likely the only one who _can_ help. She has been captured by what I assume is Talliban fighters from the Pakistani Nuclear Power Plant #N-2A not far from you. I have no comms with either her or Ron. Their communicators weren't keyed for the crazy altitude and terrain you have there and I think there may be a jamming frequency coming from where they took her."

"Wait, wait, did you say Talliban and Nuclear plant?" his mind clicked into gear and realized that the very people he was looking for were likely her captors. Something wasn't adding up here. _All the Intel said that they should be down in this area. That's why all the major military muscle had been redeployed to…_

"Wade we may have a big problem, beyond the obvious of her abduction. I can't go into details but I think this may go higher than I want to think about. Download all of the information you have to this device and I'm going to put you on with Steve, who you talked with before."

"Sure thing, all I have now is a signal from her tracking chip, it cut out once it hit the interference I mentioned but there is only one building in that area to take her to. And Blake…there is a lot of bad guys there."

"No worries. Thanks Wade this is outstanding work and I assure you I'm gonna make this happen…somehow"

Getting up he motioned with a single twirling finger to his Master Sergeant, Brett Sarnes that simply meant "round em' up". Handing the device to Steve he gave him a cliff notes version and told him to get all specifics and keep Wade on the line.

Brett pulled him to the side. The grizzled old combat vet recognized the look in Blake's eyes and simply said, "Tell me what you need boss."

"Rescue mission. 1 hostage. Unknown amount of enemy. Fixed facility. Highly capable. Possible nuclear device. Full team ready for immediate deployment."

"Got it."

"Thanks Brett, I'm gonna go get on the hook to higher and find out what more I can."

Now in the movies this is the part where the kick ass sound track comes up and everyone starts moving at a hectic pace to load weapons and put on war paint.

In the real world of seasoned professionals like these it's another story entirely. The usually laid back Brett simply pulled the men together to issue the "warning order" in as comprehensive and concise manner as he could with what little he knew. He also mentioned that Chad would want to bring his "big" bomb equipment and told them to pack heavy for a hard "hit".

They all knew that details would be made available to them when they came and that they had damn well be ready; so they methodically reset their gear and prepared. The old adage, "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" prevailed.

Approximately 20 minutes later Blake returned to their Team room and they all could tell that he was NOT happy.

Despite his obvious rage at his talk with the top brass he simply asked a few questions first in a very business like manner.

"Steve, you got the info from Wade?"

"Got everything Boss. He jumped off line to get some better imagery and track down some leads but I can get him back as soon as you need."

"Good, let him work. Chad don't sweat the big bomb gear, GJ just confirmed that no nuclear material was stolen from the plant. Bring your short kit for conventional though."

"Roger that, boss"

"Master Sergeant, we set to go?"

"Just finishing up final inspections. Any other special kit you want brought or orders?"

"Yep…" he paused before his next instruction, "stand down."

For the first time since the ball got rolling everyone was brought up short. You could have heard a pin drop and the frustration on Blake's face seemed to speak volumes.

"Gentlemen, here's the situation." He proceeded to fill them in on everything he knew from talking to Wade and the small details he later got confirming that the Nuclear Plant had indeed been raided but oddly an empty core had been stolen by some short statured, super-villain. The immediate follow up of a Talliban abduction of none other than Kim Possible seemed too smooth to be a coincidence and he told them so.

"…and my request to spearhead a rescue was denied. It would seem that the brass is concerned about an international incident and is currently working through 'channels' to get authorization to work up a joint operation with the Pakistani army to rescue her."

Several grumbles were heard from the team. They all knew that by the time that happened she would be long gone, sucked in to the underworld and held for ransom. The first 24 hours after an abduction in most cases was your only shot at rescue.

Blake looked at the band of brothers that he felt privileged to lead and sighed. He had never dreamed a situation would arise where he would ever ask this; and he knew that he was risking all their careers and lives as well as his own.

"I have little doubt that these are the guys we were sent to find. I believe that somewhere in the chain of command someone has purposely deployed us just close enough to look good but far enough out of the way that we can't do anything about their operations."

Pausing to let that disturbing fact settle in he continued,

"Men, I want you to understand that what I'm going to ask next is NOT an order. I plan to go over that border and get her back and take as many of them down in the process as possible. Any of you that choose to come with me, realize that you will be defying direct orders from higher and we will be completely on our own. At best we will return to a court martial and likely prison time. You all know that I have a personal stake in this, and please consider that in your decision. I don't want any of you risking this much not knowing the score that I am somewhat involved with the hostage, judge for yourself if that is an improper influence on my decision."

Taking all of their confidant stares in one at a time, he was once again humbled by the caliber of men he was privileged to command.

Reaching down and grabbing his gear he turned to leave, "I am going to go see about hooking up some transportation. If you're on board be out at the gate in 15 minutes. If you're not there, trust that I hold no ill feelings and respect your judgment." With that he left.

It turned out that the whole compound knew something was up. The Major that ran this particular grunt company was of a similar mind set as Blake and truly wanted to take his grunts over with him. His duty however was to his men and couldn't validate an entire US Marine Corps infantry company's deployment over international lines.

Blake understood and told him as much. He grinned though when he was advised that an unscheduled "patrol" would be waiting to go "around the area of the border" and that there would be ten empty seats available; in the event he needed a ride anywhere.

"Semper Fi." Was all that needed to be said in thanks and farewell.

As Captain Blake Rockweller approached the gate he kicked him self for being concerned. There shouldn't have been a doubt in his mind…

The entire team of Blake's Bastards was geared up and ready to go.

**Shemya Island, Alaska**

**A clandestine fortress on the southern face of the island**.

Shemya is the largest of the Semichi Island group of the Aleutian Islands. If you look at a map it is the fifth island from the western end of the chain. Located at 52° 43" North and 174° 7" East, Shemya is actually on the other side of the International Date Line from the rest of the United States, but the IDL was bent to avoid problems.

A filmmaker looking for a location to make a movie about a natural disaster would be hard pressed to find a better candidate.

It was chosen for this very reason as a staging point for a rather spectacular meeting of 'unique' personalities. Coincidently it was this same reason that was causing a few problems…

"How dare you, YOU, BIRD BRAIN!" screamed Professor Dementor as he stalked towards the lean and frail form of Aviarius.

ZZAAPP!! He was cut short as a low voltage electrical current pinged his oversized helmet. "Oh would you please SHUT UP! As if waiting for our…employer is not bad enough; I simply refuse to endure your endless chatter!" came the rather perturbed yet almost elegant voice of Electronique.

"Yes you wee, dim bats! You are getting on all our nerves, and for Pete's sake, Dementor do you have to yell at the end of EVERY sentence?" implored Duff Killigan.

It would be appropriate to say that the mood in the oversized lounge was tenuous at best. The first villains had begun arriving a few days earlier. With utterly no where to go but inside the mostly underground complex; even the exceptional entertainment suites in each of their rooms had stopped pacifying them. The desolate terrain surrounding them left little in the way of inviting scenery for their rather metropolitan tastes.

"Come on who wants to go fishing!?! The water feels great, OK a bit cold but the salmon are awesome!" of course some of them were adjusting better than others. Gill had managed to get over his rage at being captured when he realized that his captors were willing to not only provide him the means to change back and forth at will but also to finally get his revenge on that "squeeb" Stoppable.

"Too cold!! But, PLEEESSEE, bring me back some…raw!?!" they all cringed at the ridiculously high pitch voice of Sumo Ninja as he was begging Gill to bring back some sushi.

"Dude, throttle down the pipes man! Your seriously ampin' my ears…seriously!" came the grammatically challenged retort of Motor Ed.

"Yes, I agree with my cousin. Perhaps we all should decide on a course of action that will bring our interests to bear…namely; where in the heck is this guy!?!" Dr. Drakken's nerves were beginning to fray under the monotonous wait and continued internal debate over just what he was going to do to Shego when he saw her.

"ENOUGH!" came the resounding bellow that seemed to reverberate through the walls and their very skulls.

They all turned to the back of the room where a deep shadow seemed to have appeared in the rather well lit room. A man stood in it. A very well tailored pin stripe suit could be seen all the way up to about his neck, where his face remained obscured. He spoke with an accent that seemed to reveal much world travel but did not betray his origins. His tone and demeanor however, projected his status as above reproach.

"You are all here for one reason and one reason only. You have all failed."

He let that statement sink in as he began to slowly walk the perimeter of the room. His face inexplicably remained in shadows as he moved about and began to unbutton his finely tailored coat and roll up his sleeves. His stature was so commanding that it was little surprise that no one rebuked his statement.

"You have all failed spectacularly against Kim Possible and her partner, Ron Stoppable. Your knowledge of this team is why you are here. I care very little about your personal intents on world domination or evil. I assure you that successful completion of this evolution will leave you financially and unequivocally powerful enough to meet any and all goals you later set upon."

Pausing for effect he allowed them all to soak up that thought,

"However, the key to this success will rely upon you all doing what you have never been capable of in the past. To band together under a single cause to root out a persistent obstacle. I am not interested in Team Possible's defeat; I am interested in their destruction! Their deaths will pave the way to the door of the secret Ninja School of Mt. Yamanouchi and my personal acquisition of two particular swords. Everything else is secondary. I have planned this for longer than all of you have been alive. Your attempts at conquest pale in comparison to what I can do to you…"

Letting that sink in he stepped towards the door. The light seemed to bend to his will and all but his eyes and hair seemed in shadow. Though rather diminutive in size his some what yellowed skin and arms still seemed well toned and vibrant.

The henchmen by the door wanted to step away from his post when he noticed the missing right pinky finger and the almost animated serpent tattoo coiled around the mysterious man's forearm. _Did that thing just move? _he thought.

"Soon we will leave this staging area. It was necessary to avoid detection from the authorities but more importantly that damned old man at the school. We will meet up with Monkey Fist, Gorilla Fist, Fukishima, and Yono the Destroyer near our objective. They have been preparing an army for our arrival. I presume all of your electronic gadgets I have commissioned are ready as specified…"

He let his gaze fall in turn over Drakken, Dementor and Aviarius. Their fearful gulps and nods were all the confirmation he needed.

"Excellent. Ensure that all of your separate components are compatible and ready for transport immediately, I have brought in Motor Ed here to help with that process. Make no mistake I will accept nothing less than one hundred percent obedience and adherence to the mission parameters. Failure my friends…"

His hand struck out like lightning grabbing the hapless henchman by the throat. Instantly the tattooed serpent came to life and uncoiled from his arm, springing forward and sinking its fangs repeatedly into his face and neck. The grizzly display left them all holding their breaths as he punctuated his thought.

"…is not an option."

With that he calmly dropped the body to the floor as if it were an old news paper, stepped over and out into the corridor. They were sure for a moment that they had seen his face loose all color as his eyes radiated a deep crimson.

**Pakistan**

**Several miles North East into the hills beyond the opium processing plant**

"I'm telling you Shego, that road would have taken us straight to the top of that hill!"

"Sure thing Magellan, just like your all mighty internal compass almost sent us off that cliff."

Tossing the playful barb back she was only mildly miffed that their initial plan to get to higher ground had turned into a wayward scenic trip of damn near every beat up dirt road in this part of Pakistan.

"That wasn't my fault! Well sort of, but hey at least we didn't get stuck!" he retorted lamely.

Despite herself she smiled at his returning optimism. It seemed that in the several hours since they escaped she had seen him regain much of his old spark. _Anything to keep him from that arch avenger look back at the warehouse…_

Shivering slightly at the thought of "her" Ron as she was beginning to think of him; brutally tearing that guy to shreds. She still was coming to grip not only with her own misadventure but what he had glossed over in telling her of his own efforts to find her.

Smiling slightly she decided to keep the playful banter up, "Sure thing sport and next your going to kill the engine and tell me that we're out of gas. Then you're going to put some cheap sly moves on me and try to get me in the back seat of this jeep…"

Picking up on her train of thought he smiled in return, "I like where you're heads at, but frankly…I think we both need a shower before I try to get 'sly' with you"

"Why you little!"

"Easy! Easy! No hitting the driver when he's navigating with his finely tuned 'internal compass' while driving next to a several hundred foot drop off."

"Sure like I haven't heard that excuse before…"

Despite the ridiculous situation they couldn't help but bust up laughing at each other. It was perhaps the first honest and hearty laughs either had uttered in several days and it was downright cathartic.

Pulling up just short of the top of a descent sized hill he cut the engine. "No hot stuff, we have plenty of gas. I figure this should be as good a spot as any to try and get a signal."

Turning slightly serious Shego put her hand on his shoulder, "You know I hate to mention it but we may need to talk when we get a chance about…what happened down there."

Misreading her intent he replied, "Listen I know I was harsh on the guy but he was…"

"No, doofus! I'm talking about this whole Bloom thing. I tend to believe I make my own destiny but even I can't deny what happened there. Is there someone we can get answers from?"

Ron thought for a moment, "You know I think it's about time I take you to Yamanouchi and meet Sensei. He'll have the down low and frankly I could use the R&R and chance to re-center. So what do you say we power this puppy up and see if Wade can work us up a ride while we go grab KP?"

With that he clicked the 'on' switch and was gratified that it was finally getting a signal.

The frazzled visage of Wade met him with a start,

"Where have you been!?! I've been trying to contact you since you landed! Kim needs your help. Blake's enroute and…."

Startled at seeing the usually cool and collective Wade so upset he interrupted, "Whoah. Whoah, Wade! What's wrong with KP? And what does that Blake guy have to do with it?"

Shego noted that the edges of Ron's eyes flared blue briefly as she came up beside him to see the screen.

"Oh good, you rescued Shego. Glad to see you're OK!" She was touched by his genuine concern.

"Thanks, so what's up with Kimmie?"

"She's been captured by some sort of renegade Talliban forces!" as Wade filled them in on what he knew Shego started to put two and two together.

"That son of a bitch! Those guys had to be the trucks I heard leaving before Ron rescued me. Somehow this is all connected. That froob Dementor, the Talliban fighters, even Yama! Someone is pulling this all together…"

"Yeah, that's what Blake figures as well, though he doesn't know about this Yama character. His team should be getting to her soon."

"Yeah well, there is a lot of fire power down there, you better warn him." She mentioned.

"I wish I could! I lost contact with him when he got into the same interference that was messing with your Kimmunicator. His is keyed for that location better than yours, but I still should be able to get some signal. At best tight wave hand radios might be able to talk, but that's it! When you guys get off the hill you're on, I'll likely lose you as well."

"OK well we know the area somewhat, but could you download some better maps before we leave? Thanks." Turning to Shego he favored her with the same feral grin she saw when they were up in the Cascades.

"So beautiful, is your dance card full? Care to join me for one more twirl?"

Beginning to feel it was becoming her personal motto, "Oh sure, what the hell…"

**Mt. Yamanouchi**

**The training grounds of a particular secret ninja school**

Yori walked with the measured grace befitting her stature and position. She knew that all eyes were on her as she made rounds to inspect the progress of preparations for the coming battle. She intuitively understood that even the older alumni were looking to her for inspiration and leadership.

She vowed to live up to their expectations. She would not betray their trust or Sensei's faith in her. She was impressed by the assorted talents assembled and their progress.

The school had been transformed into a fortress. She realized that she should not have been surprised that the numerous alumni of the school would branch out and master other arts such as architecture, construction and weapon building. If she didn't know any better she would almost believe they had all anticipated this need and each struck out to fill a secondary niche.

She doubted that any of them had slacked in there martial training either. Just to be sure her senior instructors were holding almost non-stop refresher training with all manner of weapons. She longed to feel the release of sparring with her peers but knew that it would be perceived as an insult, that she doubted their instructional abilities. So after a brief observation she gave a slight nod of approval and returned to the dojo with a clear gaze but a heavy heart.

A smile met her lips when she found her father waiting. He motioned for her to join him for tea.

"Speak your mind daughter. Your heart seems heavy."

Hesitant to put words to fear, she decided he probably knew her concerns anyways and plunged forward, "I can feel the enemy preparing not far away. And even further I can sense a gathering cloud approaching."

"I feel this as well, but this is not what vexes you is it?"

Fighting the small blush at being caught flat she continued, "Where is he? Ron-san should be here to take his place as the Mystical Monkey Master."

After a pause Sensei replied in his measured and graceful manner,

"He is preparing in his own way right now. His trials like your own; are as unexpected as they are challenging."

"Will he arrive in time?"

"You must have faith. I have seen the wielder of the Blade perform amazing feats and snatch victory from the very maw of defeat throughout history. None of them had the heart and devotion of Ron-san. We must simply prepare and let his course meet our own".

Settling back to enjoy their tea, Sensei decided it was time to discuss some of the more arbitrary details of running the school. While she absorbed every detail she inwardly feared for the reason of this discussion.

_He knows it is coming soon and that I will need this knowledge after he is gone…_

**Paksitan**

**Talliban Opium Processing plant and Yama's Stronghold**

Night had cast its shroud over the valley that the two story warehouse was nestled in. A small storm had come in from the north, bringing with it a bitter cold rain and punishing winds.

_Perfect conditions. Thank you whoever is looking over us…_ thought Blake as he surveyed the building from his secluded vantage point. Knowing that his team was trained and accustomed to this sort of weather; it gave them an edge he knew they desperately needed.

He had split his men into 3 teams. His two snipers Dan and Whiskey were one; they had already melted into the terrain at elevated angles that allowed them to survey all walls of the compound, as well as each other. (Angel 1 and 2 respectively)

The rest were split in even teams of four. Bravo team was headed up by Brett (5) and also contained Chad (3), Reubens (4) and as sort of an inside joke since he was the new guy Brian was (10).

Blake's (6) Alpha team was rounded out by Rudy (7), Dark Elk (8) and Steve (9).

All team members were able to speak freely over a tight wave neck mounted/hands free encrypted radio system.

The plan in a nut shell was to get a feel for how many bad guys (Tangos) there were in the area and have Alpha come in the front door while Bravo came in through the back with the "angels" covering their movement. Pretty straight forward as they all were big fans of the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method of planning.

"6 this is 2"

"Go 2"

"I have some odd activity on the west wall. There is a large hole in the wall that everyone seems to be utilizing to come in and out. I can't confirm if there is anything rigged on the adjacent door or not from this distance. I count 5 tangos so far"

"Roger, 1 what do you have?"

"Actually it looks like the back door has been blown to hell and they seem to have no issue coming in and out what's left of it. Count 8 Tangos so far."

"Understood. Alpha team we will be utilizing the hole on the west wall, assume front door is rigged to blow. 3 we're probably going to need your bag of tricks to get that fixed quickly."

"Rodger 6"

"6 this is 5"

"Go 5"

"Bravo element is in position"

"Rodger. All bastards check in." The little radio joke was about the extent of his sense of humor when he was in this setting.

"1", "2", etc. All members checked in. Blake took one last long look at the building and surrounding terrain.

"All right crew, I know we didn't have the time we would normally like to plan this so here's the final score. The max load for the vehicles present is about 30 personnel. We have 13 confirmed. Standard 2 story warehouse, you know the drill. Any questions or other observations?"

After a brief pause to confirm no questions, "All right then, 5 let's try to hit this simultaneously if we manage to both get to the doors with out being spotted."

"Rodger 6"

"All teams you have a go."

And with that the point man for each element slowly rose out of the brush and at an even and steady pace moved to their respective entries. Blake gave Brett a double click of his microphone to confirm he was in position. He received 3 clicks back confirming they were as well. As the teams stacked up on the door the last man of each gave a strong squeeze on the shoulder of the man in front of him, culminating with the 2nd to last man giving the point man a nudge with his knee in his butt so he wouldn't have to take his hand off the flash bang grenade he had just pulled the pin on.

And they were off.

**Meanwhile inside…**

_Man and I thought I looked worse for wear…_ thought Kim Possible as she eyed the man with the holes in his shirt and blood soaked all over. Oddly he seemed far more intent on gathering his forces and preparing for…something; than he was interested in her.

She was trussed up in the same place as Shego had been earlier. She hadn't concluded that this may be the same crew that Ron had gone after earlier since she had that nasty hood over her head. But once she had been secured to the wall they had taken it off and left her basically alone. Considering that the place was a veritable hive of activity it was a safe enough risk.

As she tried to decipher what they were doing she began to notice the first signs that Ron and Shego had likely been here. The first was the very large hole seemingly sliced out of the wall that people seemed to be walking in and out of now. Then there was the random plasma blasts around the walls, mostly up in the rafters and catwalks. And of course there was the blood. Lots of it. It seemed that since their return the members of this cell had only enough time to string her up and carry out their dead. It appeared to be several of them from the drag marks on the floor… and the walls…and the stairs…. _and oh my God; is that what I think it is on the floor!?! _

_Oh Ron, what did you do?_ She chastised herself briefly realizing that if there was this many armed men waiting for him, his actions were likely in self defense. She was finding that her normal moral code would have to be re-evaluated the more she delved into these types of "sitchs".

All the same it was a bit disturbing to know that Ron and presumably Shego were able to distribute this sort of destruction when cornered. But then again she remembered the footage of Ron in Hong Kong and realized that she may not even realize the extent of his abilities much less what they could do as a team.

_TEAM!?! No way in hell. Not…OK chill girl. No reason to still be getting riled up about that, you have bigger issues at hand._ Carefully taking stock of her situation it was becoming dismally apparent that she had little chance of escape at present.

_That's all right…something always presents itself…I CAN do anything…_noticing a large, scruffy man eyeing her as he walked by_…I hope…_

As these thoughts were running through our red-headed heroine's mind Yama's men were busy breaking down the shop. With this one compromised and Kim Possible now in their possession they would have to rapidly fade away into the underground.

Yama himself was a broiling mess of emotions. "Hurry up or I will flay you myself!" _Worthless hired help. For fanatics, you would think they could muster some passion into their work!_

While he would never admit it, he was feeling real fear for the first time since that football field so long ago. _Why did they save me? Was it to torment me and chase me down at their whim? No, Shego seemed genuinely remorseful and that kid, yeah he could do it; but I think he was just more interested in getting her out of here. So why!?!_

He had planned for the destruction of Shego for the latter part of his life. Down to the most minute detail he had prepared and plotted. For it all to come apart like this and for her to then leave him alive…no…resurrect him? He knew a mortal wound when he saw it. He had inflicted enough of them. He had sustained two and knew for a fact that he was slipping into shock when he passed out. Only to be woken by his men hours later, unharmed; amongst the bodies of his best shooters.

It just did not factor in to his plans, and now with the famous Kim Possible actually in his possession he was more than a little concerned about the inevitable heat. But he was a man accustomed to pressure. While he was inwardly seething through all these problems, outwardly he was as cool as ice. He may have looked like hell, but he appeared calm and still inspired the appropriate amount of respect and fear.

The men worked relentlessly for several hours. Eventually Yama felt assured that everything that could be getting done was in progress and decided it was time to finally meet this famous American crime fighter.

As he approached he conveyed a neutral expression as he pulled up a chair and sat his weary body down in front of her.

"Honestly I thought you would be taller…the stories about you are simply phenomenal. I guess they just tend to portray you as larger than life." He started with an almost conversational tone.

"Well buddy you may want to look in a mirror, you like crap. I presume you're the boss around here?"

"Yes, I am Yama. I would offer you a seat and be more cordial but your past record proves you to be far too formidable to partake in such pleasantries."

Deciding to play a little with him she took a shot in the dark, "No big! I hang out like this all the time. I'll let myself out sooner or later." And then added with a smirk, "By the way it looks like you met my partner, Ron. That must have been a couple of hellacious wounds to ventilate your shirt like that."

With a decidedly impressed grin he responded, "Yes you are observant. Your 'partner' however seemed far more interested in saving that green little witch than he does you though, hhmmm?"

He could tell that the barb had struck a nerve and decided on another tact, "Ms. Possible. I am your captor; you are indeed despite your reputation for escape, currently my captive. As long as that is established and understood; I see no need for this to be an unpleasant exchange. I have no ill will towards you; in fact if it hadn't been for the man who tipped me off to Shego's whereabouts absolutely insisting that I capture you and pre-occupy Ron Stoppable, we wouldn't even be having this splendid little meeting."

She was a bit taken aback by his statement and figured it was best to keep him talking, "You're defiantly more…civil than you're colleagues. I do appreciate that. But tell me why "pre-occupy" Ron, why not kill him?"

"No the man was very specific against…oh, you clever girl! You almost got me to monologue like one of those silly so called super villains you regularly fight. Good one! I tell you what; I have no intentions of revealing more to you than necessary, and since you're just…"

"DON"T you dare say 'just hanging around'. I was beginning to think you had an ounce or two of wit, don't ruin it." Her interruption elicited a smile from the criminal mastermind.

"Fair enough, I admit it was a pun in poor taste. Perhaps I could get your opinion on a joke then? These religious puritans wouldn't know descent humor if it bit them. Would you be interested?"

_Well this is certainly different._ "Sure why not?"

"Why not indeed. So there was a great admiral of the Spanish Armada. One day while sailing the Mediterranean they encounter a far superior British force. They were outnumbered nearly 2 to 1.

The admiral though did not bat an eye lash. In a cool tone after giving his orders he said to his cabin boy- 'Bring me my Red shirt!" He did so and the admiral changed as they charged into battle.

At the end of the day the Spanish are victorious. After it was all said and done the cabin boys says , 'Admiral that was amazing, but I have to ask; what was up with the red shirt?'

He replied, 'I wore that shirt so that in the event I was wounded; the blood would be hidden and my crew would not fear for my safety and continue to fight valiantly!"

The cabin boy leaves even more impressed with the admiral.

So the next day the sun rises finding them surrounded by the combined armadas of 3 separate enemy countries.

The admiral takes in the scene and calmly says to the cabin boy, "Bring me my Brown Pants!"

Despite the ridiculous situation and the silly joke Kim barely stifled a laugh.

"This was a funny joke, no?" implored Yama.

"Yeah not bad, in all honesty though, I hope it was prophetic."

Sobering slightly by what she implied, "Perhaps, we will…"

KKAABOOOMM!!!

The simultaneous explosion of two flash bang grenades in the steel built warehouse had its desired effect. Before even the one of Yam's men could raise a weapon all 8 members of Blake's teams were through the "fatal funnel" the entry way represented and were spreading through in a steady yet methodical pace.

At the same time the sentries who had come to the windows and roof's edge were suddenly treated to a rather impressive display of marksmanship. Unfortunately for them; they were unwittingly playing the role of 'target'.

"6 this is angel 1 & 2, roofs/windows clear."

"Acknowledged"

As the smoke cleared inside KP noticed two things, that Yama was nowhere to be found and that she was witnessing controlled chaos. It seemed like the bad guys were crawling out of the wood work. Every time one would raise a weapon there was a distinct crack, crack…crack; and the guy fell down usually in a less spectacular manner than she was accustomed to seeing on TV.

"6 this is 5, rear access and rooms clear, moving upstairs."

"Acknowledged. Alpha securing perimeter rooms, have visual on hostage."

Just as Blake signaled for his team to cover him as he went to KP, some guy in a burka and a very nasty beard grabbed her by the mid section and put a gun to her head.

Blake didn't miss a beat. Dramatically putting his gun down to put the guy at ease, he spoke quietly into his mic, "5 this is 6, if your upstairs already could you do something about this ass hole."

His response was a single shot from the elevated platform that zipped over his right shoulder and left a perfect hole in the left hemisphere of the right handed shooter's brain housing group. A disturbing 6 inches from Kim's own head.

Expecting a cinematic reunion as Blake cut her down, it goes without saying that she was a little stunned when he walked just past her, pulled his pistol and shot the guy quickly again in the face.

Noticing her outraged expression he spoke in a clipped manner as he cut her down, "Every good shot deserves another, I'll be damned if this guy pulls a 'Jason Lives' and shoots you or any of my team in the back because I failed to ensure he was dead".

She would have like to have grasped on to the common sense of the statement but she couldn't get past the fact that a large part of her would be killer's brain was splattered on her legs. Regardless of the endless adventures she had been on, this was the first time she had ever seen death in such a raw and real manner.

She was not liking it one bit. But for the sake of Blake's team and her pride she was trying her best to keep it together.

"6, topside secure."

"6, all rooms secure"

"Access's secure"

Pulling KP into a tight hug that belied his business like manner and voice he issued his orders, "Good work. 3 defuse those doors if they need it. 8 & 9 find anything worth exploiting and bag it up, photo and destroy everything else. 5 take everyone else and set up a perimeter and let me know when we can move out of here."

Hearing 4 successive "Acknowledged" responses he pulled his microphone off his throat so he wouldn't broadcast his conversation with KP.

"Kim are you OK?"

"Yeah, it's just I've never actually seen a…'real' dead body before. I mean there were the cadavers in school and yeah we've seen some dead folks on missions that had been that way for awhile…but this" she gestured down to the grey matter on her pants "is a little fucking different!"

"It's all right to be a little tripped out over this, you've been through a lot and if you found brains on your pants normal, well THAT'S when I'd be concerned"

Sniffling back an infuriating tear that kept threatening to creep out she looked up into his striking blue eyes, "you're right…I'm fine, just give me a second"

"6 this is angel 1 we have a jeep coming up fast from the north."

"Acknowledged" he said down into his mic, "5 let's get the boys ready to dance again."

Dropping the mic he said to KP, "Looks like your second is up," reaching in to the pack he had on his back he brought out an M-4 carbine; "I know you don't like these things but we're along way from home and you may need it. This is just like the one you used on the range the other day, remember?"

She surprised him by grabbing the weapon and a magazine off his chest, smacking the mag in the well, pulling the charging handle back, closing the ejection port cover and pulling the single point sling over her head and arm. Settling the weapon into place and secretly not minding the reassuring feel it offered she couldn't help but smile at the slightly awed look on Blake's face,

"You're wrong Blake, I HATE these things, but as I'm finding out it's the right tool for this particular job. So what do you say we figure out how the hell they mounted a counter attack so quickly?"

Offering her a gentlemanly 'Ladies First' gesture he couldn't help but mutter, "She really can do anything…"

Surprising him that she heard his whisper; she toyed back, "Boy, you don't know the half of it!"

Confidently striding towards the door she thought, _God I hope he bought it! That was insane in there, but he risked his team to save me so I'll be damned if I lose it in front of him. _She suppressed a shiver as she made her way over to "5"s position behind a large truck's hood.

"Hey Brett, funny running into you here. Come here often?" she joked with the salty old vet as she came up grabbing some cover behind the hood.

"Hey there little lady, you know this ain't the best neighborhood to go walkin' about at night; didn't your mother teach you better?"

"Yeah she did, I guess I never did listen too well; so what have we got?"

"Ol' Whiskey said this vehicle is about to round the bend, it's movin' fast and seems to have some sort of energy weapon. So once they round the bend we're fixing to light em' up with everything we got."

"Energy weapon? It wouldn't by chance be green and blue would it?"

Interrupting from the other side of her Blake cut in , "Now how did you know that…well it's coming up right now," speaking into his mic, "Stand by!"

"NO WAIT! DON'T SHOOT! That's Ron and Shego!"

"Hold your fire!" trusting her judgment his look however demanded an explanation.

Before she could say anything a beat up military style jeep skidded to a halt in front of them with a green energy ball hanging idly out the passenger window and a blue flaming sword out the driver's side.

Sighing to herself that she was right she looked at Blake as she stood up and started to walk towards the vehicle. "We just about shot up my partner Ron Stoppable and his…. _friend_ Shego."

Trying to defuse the situation with some gallows' humor Brett chimed in, "From the way you say 'friend' I get the feeling there's no love lost. You know I still have her in my sights…"

Reining in a guilty smile she winked at Brett, "Thanks, but I can handle her just fine with out the hardware."

As she approached the jeep, Ron popped his head out the window, "Uh, KP I get the feeling we just about started an exciting new career as Swiss cheese; is it safe to come out yet?"

"CHEESE!?!" came an excited inquiry form his cargo pocket.

"No Rufus, just try and go back to sleep. We're defiantly NOT at Beuno Nacho."

Pleased to hear him more like his goofy ol' self she smiled, "Yeah Ron, come on out and meet the boys."

Dousing their respective flames Ron and Shego exited the vehicle and walked up.

Regardless of the tensions between them, Ron immediately grabbed Kim into a big hug; "KP I'm so glad your OK!". Breaking it after a moment awkwardly he stuttered, "Er, I'm glad your alright…I was worried that you might be, well…ah hell…."

Inwardly touched by his genuine concern, she still had some pent up hostility that he had left her earlier. She started poking him in the chest and backing him up while he sheepishly took her rage,

"No thanks to my partner! Jesus Ron, I got kidnapped by the Taliban! And Dementor; thank God he was inept as always; he got away with a damn nuclear fuel cell. Fortunately an empty one; but damn! How could you!?! And another thing…"

"ENOUGH!" Shego interrupted with a shout and a barely charged fist in between them.

"Listen here Princess, if Ron had done things your way my ass would have been raped or dead, or both and guess what? Dementor still would have gotten away with the goods! So get over yourself and realize that your sidekick has a better head for tactics than you give him credit for!"

Behind him Brett and Blake were watching anxiously, "Uh Boss, as entertaining as this could prove to be, we really don't have the time."

Hesitant to interfere, Blake's duty was to his team. He stepped towards them, "As much as it appears ya'll need this little chat, I'm gonna have to insist we get inside, clear this joint and then get the hell out of here pronto. You may not have been their re-enforcements but I'm sure they have some coming."

Slightly chagrined all 3 looked over at Blake. Ron stepped over towards him, "Your right. We didn't get a proper introduction before" reaching out and firmly shaking his hand, "I'm Ron Stoppable and this is Shego. Thanks for rescuing Kim so quickly. Please let me know what we can do to help."

Despite the light flare of blue that radiated in the dim light from his eyes; Blake could tell that Ron was sincere. He certainly appreciated his frank attitude, "Right now we need to destroy any of these guys gear we aren't planning on taking and get out of here in a hurry."

Smiling an almost disturbing smile Ron looked over at Shego briefly as she walked up beside him, "Carnage and mayhem? Boy have I got the right girl for the job. Lead the way."

Blake turned and introduced them to Brett who lead them into the warehouse and started pointing out what needed to "go boom".

As Blake walked out to Kim who was still standing where she had been arguing with Ron, he put his hands on her shoulders from behind. He could detect a faint sob but said nothing of it, just stood behind her; knowing that there were no proper words.

"Blake, I feel like my world's getting turned upside down…" she was still facing away from him and the words barely made his ears. The vulnerability they conveyed surprised him from this amazing woman. "He really has changed and moved on."

Conflicted as to what to say he went with his gut, "I'm no expert but it looks to me like you both have. Seems to me that you got a pretty damn good friend there that may be a little lost himself."

Turning to him she wiped away the few tears that had managed to escape her firm attempts to stifle them. She hugged him desperately which, considering both their weapons and his tactical gear was awkward at best. Pulling back she looked up into his eyes and tried her best to break the tension,

"Have I thanked you yet for stopping by? 'Cause I don't usually do the damsel thing, so prompt me if I screw up my lines."

Smiling he leaned in and kissed her briefly, "You're doing fine…just try not to make a habit of it; I might not always be in the neighborhood."

Their twisted little Hallmark moment was cut short with a call over the radio, "Hey boss, you probably want to get in here and see this!"

As they both turned and walked towards the building they could see alternating green flashes and booms overlaid by a constant flashing blue.

They found several team members walking out to take up security posts. Blake was a little surprised to see his Demolitions man Chad walking out.

"Chad I thought I told you to rig this stuff to blow?"

"Hell, Boss you don't need me with those two on the job!"

After they entered he could see what he meant. Ron and Shego were apparently letting loose some of their pent up aggression over the events of the last few days…and having a good time doing it.

"Hey hot stuff go long!" Ron yelled as he tossed a rather heavy looking radio console over Shego's head. She promptly blasted it in mid air throwing plasma singed debris into an intricate operations center table.

"All right my turn. Batter up sport!" Shego then launched a large mortar tube assembly across the warehouse at him which he managed to cut into 3 separate blue flaming pieces with the Lotus Blade.

"And it looks like it's gonna go…all… the…way!" he mock broadcasted in commentary.

Brett shuffled over to Blake and said under his breath while he watched the spectacle, "Uh, remind me not to piss those two off."

"Noted. So what do you have for me?"

Nodding with his head over to a side room, "Steve found something pretty interesting, and before they decided to pull a Babe Ruth on it I figured you should see for yourself."

The room's far wall was basically covered with a complex series of monitors and CPU's. On the large central screen was a state of the art display detailing just about everything that moved in the area. Next to it was a power read out that showed a sophisticated radio jamming program.

Steve was taking pictures of everything and seemed like a kid in a candy store. "Boss this is some of the most advanced stuff I've ever seen. Even NSA doesn't have jammers like that and frankly an aircraft carrier couldn't touch this radar. Sure explains why no one has been able to get comms with us."

Smiling at the almost child like wonder in the large man Blake stepped forward, "I'm sure you like your new toys. But I'm sorry Steve; the blonde kid and the green lady are going to have to make it go bye-bye. Just make sure you document everything and be ready to go soon."

"That must have been how they were able to know when Ron and I landed. They have been playing us all along. Who the hell is pulling these strings?" KP falling back into her detective mode couldn't help but show her frustration at too many missing pieces.

"It looks like they didn't count on your buddy's skills or us as a wild card. But that doesn't explain how we were able to get up to this place so easily?" Blake mentioned.

"Probably only a few of them who could run this thing and when you guys hit the place it was pretty nasty weather out and they were really busy breaking everything down." KP offered.

"Lucky for us…uh, damn! Boss we got company and lots of it" exclaimed Steve as he stared at the screen.

Falling back into his cool and collective voice he dead panned, "How much company?"

"Looks like 8 no make that 9 large trucks coming in from the north east…fast! Thermals show their packed solid with bad guys."

"Understood. How much time do we have?"

"5 minutes max."

Brett noticed Blake's raised eye brow that indicated he wanted his opinion, "That was the main road we needed to get out of here by truck. If we take the south east road we're taking the LONG way around and there's nuthin' saying they don't have a surprise waiting down that way. Too many to fight in the open, we need a big surprise to distract them and my bid is to hoof it out on foot."

"Fair enough" hearing the continued ruckus that Shego and Ron were making with the equipment in the warehouse, "and I think I know just where to get out distraction from."

After several instructions into his mic and some scrambling preparations the team minus 2 snipers, Ron and Shego were huddled in a tight 360 on a bluff just above and behind the warehouse.

As expected the enemy convoy stopped just short of the warehouse and deployed their men in a rough skirmish line that began to bow in on the ends. Attempting to surround the Americans and close in on the building once they were located. Blake's plan was banking on them being hesitant to shoot up the building and its equipment if avoidable.

"Angels stand by for my mark."

A double click in response from both snipers acknowledged their understanding as they surveyed the enemy and discerned who was the most senior ranking.

As the enemy got close to the vehicles that had been set up in a circle around the warehouse they were a bit confused, expecting resistance by this point. Just when they approached the doors and were past the trucks 1 rifle shot rang out from the west; dropping the senior man on that end. As they all turned and began to fire indiscriminately in that direction a 2nd shot rang out from the east, dropping yet another senior man. With directions beginning to be thrown out in a panic firing erupted in several directions at once.

Then came the fireworks.

From the north a roiling green fire ball blasted two trucks resulting in an impressive explosion that set off the fuel and explosives staged in several other vehicles by Chad. With wanton abandon she followed up with numerous volleys of green plasma amongst the men nearest her position. Simply letting loose she let off a maniacal laugh for dramatic effect, culminating in a well placed plasma ball through the door of the warehouse that neatly landed on all the enemy munitions as well as all the explosives and pyrotechnics Chad could find.

If drama was what she was wanting….it worked. The resultant fire ball could be seen for miles around.

The deeply rooted tribal superstitions and religious training of these fighters led them to believe that a female devil had descended her wrath upon them.

The survivors later would say that was the moment when her demon mate entered swooping in from the south. Ron let loose first with several slashing blasts that flung what looked to many like blue lightning across the mass of terrified men. Their disorganization allowed him to make a sprint across their ranks swiftly slashing whoever was unfortunate enough to be in his path. He menacingly darted to and fro as if possessed. What appeared to be random was actually a choreographed dance to allow him to cut a swath through to Shego on the other side, dividing their forces and letting him vanish under a canopy of green plasma.

This melee created easy targets for Whiskey and Dan who were taking precise shots as fast as they could pull the trigger and aim. On cue with Ron's disappearing act and one last bloom of green fire broiling over Ron's head they all faded into the brush to link up with the others.

The engagement played out differently for the rest of Blake's crew.

So as not to pin point the rest of the team, only those four engaged the enemy while the rest of them set up a rally point. As the main group silently disappeared behind the bluff you could clearly make out the desperate screams of the horrified hordes.

It seemed longer than it actually was, especially for Kim who was used to leading the charge and being in the thick of it. It was humbling for her to be in a situation where she was not evenly remotely qualified to get the job done as well as the others.

Blake noticing the gathering storm clouds of frustration unfurl in her brow; he tried to lighten her mood. He whispered "Your choice in friends is rather…" just then a huge blue and green explosion lit up the sky over the warehouse, "colorful."

Smiling more at his concern than his attempt at humor, "Thanks Blake. Although Shego…",oddly she found herself not willing to correct him about Shego's place in her life, "Yeah she's colorful all right."

_Honestly, was she ever really my enemy? Hell we even hit it off pretty well when she was zapped good for awhile. In a way I was always looking forward to my scrapes with her. If Ron and me aren't meant to be; is she such a bad choice?"_

Just then another blaze of green lit up the night sky and with it the wind carried her maniacal laugh…_On second thought maybe I'll reserve judgment on that_.

"6 this is 9"

"Go 9"

"We are having some radio, uh…issues"

"Care to elaborate?"

"Yeah, I can't seem to get a damn one to work! With that jammer out of commission we should be doing fine but for some reason they barely power up."

"Maybe it had some sort of low level pulse weapon to it, like an EMP?" Blake hedged a guess.

"Possibly; but not much I can do to test the theory, in the short haul we're screwed."

Kim had heard parts of the conversation and remembered that Wade had special shields installed in her Kimmunicator, "If they used any pulse weapons maybe we can get through with this."

It started up fine but she got hardly any reception at all, she could make out the faint outline of Wade in the static but couldn't even get a text message through.

"Dammit! I almost got him; these hills must be giving me too much interference."

"Wait a second. Wade mentioned something about that, "dropping his pack and digging into an internal pocket he finally produced what he was looking for, "got it! Try this."

Kim grasped the sleeker, camouflaged version of her Kimmunicator knowing that she probably didn't want the answer to her next question, "How, where and why do you have a Kimmunicator?"

"Oh Wade whipped one up for me and Bonnie so we could talk more, mine got here last night and he gave her hers on their first date…"

"Their what!?!" shushing herself for almost screaming she couldn't help but wonder at the recent influx of insanity in her life, "and further down the rabbit hole she dives" was all she could mutter as she hit the 'on' switch.

"Oh thank goodness! Kim! I am triangulating your position now. I thought, well you know…I'm so glad your OK. Satellite thermals have some pretty crazy stuff happening at your last position."

"Yeah that's Ron and Shego, uh… blowing off some steam. Good to see you too. Uh, Wade we have a bit of sitch here; got anyway to fix our communications, call a taxi or make the bad people stop chasing us?"

Before Wade could answer, Bonnie burst over his shoulder, "Kim is my brother OK?!? What's going on!?! Where…."

Wade shoved her back, "You're not really helping right now Bonnie, let me help them and then we'll get details. As for your questions, I'm kind of at a loss on this one. The military is clamped down tight ever since Blake took his team AWOL to get you…"

"He what?!?" Looking over at Blake who had been listening in while tending to his team's position just looked over at her and gave her a shrug that clearly said "No big!"

"Okay, well shelving that for future discussion, what _can_ you do for us?"

"Right now I'm trying to pull you up on satellite thermals but it is pretty rough with all the festivities the Dynamite Duo are throwing over there. Other than that and tracking the enemy progress I guess I can try and bust a message through the brick wall of denial at the Pentagon to let them know where you're at."

The sound of gunfire was starting to get closer as she tried to get out everything she knew.

"Please and Thank You! Our plan right now is to work our way west on foot back over the border to get to Blake's last base of operations."

"Sounds good. Before you go could you please let Bonnie say hi to Blake."

As Blake reached for the lighted device he got a call, "6 this is 10, our crew is coming down the trail and they appear to be in a hurry!"

"Ackowledged. Uh, Bonnie this isn't the best…CRAACKK!!!

The Kimmunicator blew up in a shower of sparks as a bullet that was heading for Blake was stopped by its reinforced cover.

"Shit! Contact front, engage and give our people some cover!"

As covering fire gave the 4 friendlies a narrow corridor to transverse to them the point man started making a path for them to beat feet in the other direction.

Once they joined up a very haggard looking Ron and Shego just nodded at each other and told everyone to get down…

KAABBLLOOOMM!!

Their combined maximum effort rained a torrent of mystical energy that simply scorched everything for about a quarter mile behind them.

The silence that ensued left two very whipped looking people actually steaming from the energy released. There hair was frazzled and clothes in shambles. Moving to the rest of the group with tentative steps Kim stood with Blake to meet them. She looked first at a very ragged Ron then let her gaze rest on a beleaguered Shego.

"Impressive…not exactly subtle; but pretty damn impressive." She complimented her with a daring smile.

"Kimmie…oh forget it. I'm too tired to spar with you, has anyone seen a bus stop around here?"

Brett grabbed them both by the shoulders to help them along, "Nope, but if we don't get moving I'm sure them there crispy critter's pals will be more than happy to set up travel plans."

"True enough, Whiskey let's get this show on the road." Blake ordered. In short order they were moving out in a single file through some nasty and thick terrain.

As they went Kim couldn't help but notice their direction and caught up to Blake and whispered, "I thought you said your base was west of here."

"It is, in fact it's WAY west of here. What's your point?"

"Not to point out the obvious but aren't we going East?"

"Yep."

"So are we going to turn around soon?"

"Nope"

Realizing he was drawing this out more than he needed to, she quibbled, "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"What? To stump the great Kim Possible. Yeah I guess I couldn't resist. Got to catch life's little joys where you can."

From behind them Shego butted in, "Oh I like him. He's a keeper Kimmie!"

"Stow it Sparky!"

Getting closer to Blake she whispered, "So I guess we're taking the scenic route?"

"You could say that… Kim we're in what's called E&E mode now. Escape and Evade. Every one of my men is highly trained in it and the first rule is to do the unexpected."

"Like go the opposite way from friendly lines…"

"Exactly. And of course there's the 2nd and most important rule when you're outgunned without communications and hiding in hostile territory…"

"Don't get caught?" Kim guessed.

"Your getting the hang of this Kim. I'd settle in for a bit of a hike…"

**Middleton, C****O**

**Wade Load's Basement**

He had expected her to freak out.

He had expected her to scream, cry, shriek….something.

It didn't help that she was watching the screen when something blew Blake's device to hell. Or that his "helper" program had instantly rewound the last 6 seconds of film and slowed it down to determine the cause of interruption. Its 360 scan painted a perfect picture of the working end of a mean looking bullet.

While Wade frantically tried to get them back on line and work his satellite telemetry to get a fix, he almost forgot she was there, she was just that quiet.

After throwing in the towel momentarily to gather his wits he was rocked from his efforts by the sound of Bonnie letting loose a quiet sob.

He spun around and there she was, sitting on the ground balled up with her arms wrapped around her knees right where she was standing when the scene had unfolded.

Chastising himself that he had briefly forgotten that there was someone else in the room (he did usually work alone after all) he was reminded what she had just witnessed.

Not knowing what to say he just sat down beside her and tentatively put his arm around her.

At first she just leaned into him, seemingly for balance. Then as he tucked her in closer she just unfolded and burst into a balling mess. There really were no words that he could say and as he was unaccustomed to consoling people like this; he just held her and let her cry.

After some time she started to settle down a bit. She slowly sat up and looked at him with red, puffy eyes. After a few sniffles she just said plainly, "I killed him."

"What!?!" Of all things, Wade was not expecting that!

"I killed my brother, I killed Blake! I distracted him by…'sob' asking to talk to him…'sob'…when…'sob'…he should have…been…'sob'…'sob'…that bullet…'sob' "

Realizing that she was working herself into a hysterical mess he decided to do the only thing to prove that she was wrong.

He stood up and left her in a puddle of tears as he went to his work bench and grabbed a few things. Despite her gut wrenching self recriminating she couldn't help but watch what he was doing as he set up a thin piece of metal in a vice on the floor in front of her with an absorbent blanket underneath it.

As he pulled out what looked like an oversized pistol with a bottle attached below it she almost screamed in panic, "What are you doing! What is that! What…"

"Easy Bonnie, Easy! I am proving that not only did you NOT kill your brother; you likely saved his life. Look at that screen! Look at the last image it capured!" he almost screamed at her to comply.

"NO! The bullet is coming straight at him! It's the bullet…'sob'… he would have avoided…'sob…if I hadn't…"

A subdued _boom!_ went off as he shot the pistol directly into the metal at her feet.

"What in the hell?!?" she shrieked.

Wade simply reached down, undid the device and handed her the slab that had a metal slug warped into it. It was warped to say the least, but it held.

"This…" he said as he indicated the gun in his hand, "is a pneumatic weapon simulator. I can dial it up or down to replicate the force of almost any gun on Earth. The standard weapon for those enemy troops is an AK-47 assault rifle. It shoots a 7.62 bullet; the same amount of force I just shot into that metal. It held didn't it?"

"So…'sob'…what?"

Breaking into a smile he replied, "That is the same type of metal I shielded your brother's communicator with…" noticing she wasn't quite getting it, "don't you see Bonnie, because you were talking to him, the bullet hit the device instead of him!"

Wade wished he had a camera for the smile that blossomed across her face with a dawning of realization. She instantly dropped the metal and leapt up and tackled him with a ferocious bear hug that toppled them both over to the ground.

"You're a genius! Thank you…"still sobbing a bit; but decidedly more happy sobs, "you made those for us…and…oh thank you" she stopped even attempting to make sense and instead just laid one serious thank you kiss down on him.

Coming up for air he hated to say what he had to, "Uh Bonnie, I love where your…uh.. mind's at with the whole kissing thing, but I got to go try and pull off my next hat trick."

Breaking apart she followed his gaze to the map on one of the screens that pointed to approximately where the team was and the border…over 15 miles away.

"Oh…" she said in realization.

**Author's Note:** I tried out a few new things in this chapter. Primarily a more "real time" approach to dialogue, especially the radio communications. Along with those I integrated some more realistic aspects of modern warfare, from my experiences. Granted I balanced them with some entertaining Mystical Monkey and Comet Powered whoop ass; but hey a guy has to have some fun with his story right?

You may have noted that several of the character's personalities have had some "development" you could say. That was my intent and as you can see in this chapter I am trying to bring them a little closer to the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak.

As I really want to grow as a writer I would genuinely appreciate any input you have on these items or anything else you see good, bad or indifferent.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing form you.


	9. Ch 9 Escape & Evade

**A/N: **WOW! Apparently you all had as much fun reading the last chapter as I did writing it. Your reviews were not only awesome but exceptionally helpful. I greatly appreciate the assistance from fellow authors and FanFic aficionados in helping me grow as an aspiring writer. That's the sort of thing that makes Fan Fiction so great; the interaction and camaraderie.

So a big thanks out to: **Morcelu, Thoughts13, reddragonn343, Dagda06117032, eoraptor, trekkifulron, Cody Fett & aedan cameron.**

Well it looks like we're at that infamous 100,000 words mark. I get the vibe that 100K is some sort of milestone when I've read other stories on the site. So maybe **Uzziel **over at the **C2 "The 100,000 Club"** might pick this story up now too. I know it's been a lengthy ride and I just wanted to say I appreciate those of you that have stayed for the long haul; I'll try and make it worth your while.

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: This is Disney's ball of wax. They made it up and get the entire credit and bank roll. I am just happy I could play in the park and get to bring friends like Blake and his gang along for the ride.

**The Blade and The Bloom**

**Chapter 9: Escape & Evade**

**Pakistan**

**Some VERY rugged terrain South East of the now leveled opium processing plant**

They had been going for hours. To KP, Ron and Shego it felt much longer. It wasn't that their pace was all that grueling; more so that they just never stopped…ever. Whiskey had been on point for most of it, pausing only briefly to get a fix on their location occasionally. KP had noticed with some surprise that he didn't pull out a GPS or other gadget; he always used a map and compass. Blake had noted her curious glance,

"He doesn't trust electronics, at all. He'll use them begrudgingly but prefers to always use a solid map and compass. He's almost always more accurate than the electronics anyways."

She was impressed, but only as much as her screaming legs would let her be. The last several days had been taxing to say the least and she knew she was getting towards the end of her endurance.

Shego was relying heavily on her pride and stubbornness to get her through. She knew she had over extended herself while playing with Ron in the warehouse and covering their escape; but she didn't care…

_Damn that felt good! I don't get to let loose like that too often and boy was Ron ever somethin'. It seemed like we just fed off each others actions. When we were jiving like that it felt like there was no limit to what we could do. _She focused on these thoughts to put the burning sensation in her legs on a back burner.

Ron had it a little easier. He was carefully tapping into his Mystical Monkey Power to supplement his dwindling reserves. Between his saga to find Shego, rescuing her and then their recent escapades he knew that he should be dead on his feet.

_Just got to concentrate on getting her and KP to safety then I can let my body actually rest. Sensei sure was right about pushing myself, I've never gone this long without a break. Honestly though it felt like I was filling up my tank when Shego and I were playing "ball" back at the warehouse. And damn! When we let loose outside, it was like I could 'feel' her thoughts and intentions. It was almost as if we were...balancing each other. I never thought I could have that with…well…anyone_.

Blake and his "Bastards" however were on an entirely different wave length at the moment. Every broken twig, every minor light change in the sky…everything was scrutinized heavily. They had expanded their trained senses to the brink and were absorbing everything around them. It was more of a mind set and way of viewing the world than any individual set of skills; and they were exceedingly good at it.

So it was with some confidence that they approached the medium size cave about half way up a particularly steep peak. Whiskey entered first with Chad and Dark Elk right on his heels. They returned soon after and gave an "OK" sign to Blake who quickly gestured for them all to enter.

The cave was narrow at the front, only about 4 ft high and equally wide. It opened up significantly toward the back. There were some old signs that some animals may have utilized it but nothing recent. It smelled of old brush and critters but nothing too over powering. It continued back about a good fifty meters and ended abruptly.

After posting a watch Blake gave a few brief hand signals to Brett, then approached, Kim, Shego and Ron.

"First off, I appreciate your keeping up with my team and not slowing us down. I know that wasn't very easy country to pick through. Also, Shego and Ron, I want to thank you personally for that rather spectacular covering fire. I know ya'll are pretty pooped. Get some rest while we work out a plan to get us home."

Ron responded with a bit of a grin, "Uh no worries bout' the light show; glad to help. You know, not that I mind the break from our little…nature hike. But shouldn't we keep moving?"

Blake smiled and responded, "In most cases, yeah. But with this many people and so many variables we need a chance to regroup and make a solid plan; work smarter not harder. We pushed pretty hard there to get some distance between us and the bad guys. At this point we want to hole up and get a feel for whether their tracking us effectively. From this vantage point on the hill we can scan pretty well. While my boys check on that, me and Brett are going to look at the maps and come up with the best way to get across the border with out running into out little "friends".

"Sounds good to me; I could go for some beauty rest. Anyone see where the appointment desk for the spa was in this joint?" joked Shego as she stretched out on the ground and leaned into the wall.

"Ah man, I thought we were going to stop by Beuno Nacho before we went for our manicures…" Ron answered with a goofy grin

"If you don't get down here and give me a beuno blue powered blanket to cuddle up to I'll tell you how you're going to be eating your next Naco…through a straw." Letting her playful threat hang in the air, she smiled as he joined her on the floor and threw his arm around her shoulders, providing a comfortable place to rest. She promptly set to dozing.

Kim saw this and initially felt a rage of jealousy. _Ron, what are you…_ she stopped cold as she looked at them sitting there together. On Ron's heavy lidded expression she saw something she hadn't seen in a long time; contentment. Even half sleeping his features were more confident and regardless of the crazy situation he seemed down right at peace with the world.

Her gaze then fell on Shego. Curled up on her side leaning heavily into Ron she was already happily asleep. Looking at the raven haired villain Kim was astonished by the apparent transformation in her long standing foe. Gone was the trademark sneer and bad attitude. As she snuggled closer for warmth she too seemed to have found her one place in the world; her other half. She was further surprised when Rufus wiggled out of Ron's pocket and curled up into Shego's lap, stretched and then snuggled in for a nice nap.

It was alarming for Kim to say the least, but the scene definitely stopped her initial impulse to yell at Ron for thoughtlessly displaying his affection for Shego right in front of her. _He probably didn't even think about it; just wanted to hit the rack. And I guess if Rufus isn't too worried…_

Oddly, despite her entire body aching; Kim realized that she was not that tired. Writing it off to the crazy "sitch' and a second wind; she noted three guys working further back in the cave and went to see if she could help out somehow.

As she approached a slightly animated conversation abruptly ceased. She noted that Rudy was joking with Chad about something while he was affixing a bandage to another man that she didn't recognize.

"Hey there Kim! Good to see you again. Uh…what ya' up to?" Rudy said a little quickly.

Thinking she knew just what conversation she interrupted; she replied neutrally, "Oh not much, just thought I would come see if you needed a hand. By the way, who won?"

Three faces and a pair of hands froze and Chad asked with a slightly guilty voice, "Uh, what are you talking about?"

"Oh I figure the competition was pretty fierce but I hope my red hair and better disposition won out over Shego's bigger boobs and attitude. So who won the argument over who had the better….assets?" She smiled evenly as she assessed their astonished looks in the dim lighting of Rudy's subdued head lamp.

Realizing the jig was up, the guy who was being bandaged answered, "Well naturally you got points for dating the boss, but the green chick's little light show back there gave you a run for your money. Honestly I'm waiting til you both get dressed up and join us for a night on the town to cast my vote." He deadpanned with a good natured smile.

Hoping that they couldn't see her blush from the reference to her "dating the boss" she replied, "Well thanks for an honest answer; I was a little concerned you boys might try to caudle the girls out here. I don't recognize you from the other day, I'm Kim…"

"…Possible. Everyone knows who you are." He interrupted with genuine respect in his voice as he shook the hand she offered, "Come on with all the press you get I'd have to live in…well…a cave not to know who you are. My name's Brian. As for not meeting you before; I was at a tactical driving school when you met the team up in Middleton…"

Chad broke in with a laugh, "What _junior _here is neglecting to mention was mommy never let him go get a driver's license so we had to send him away to figure out how to drive stick!"

Kim followed the exchange and from the baby faced features of the new comer she could understand the nickname. But considering his presence on the team and the experience evident in his eyes and posture, she knew that they were more ribbing him for being the new guy than any perceived deficiencies. He confirmed this in his equally rapid and amusing comeback.

"Yeah, Mom always was a stickler bout things like that, your just jealous cause your momma was so dumb she got hit by a parked car."

Before Chad could reply and drag the conversation down further, Rudy interrupted, "I'm sure Ms. Possible is not interested in you're intellectual conversation gentlemen. There Brian; you're all patched up."

"You were hurt?" Kim asked with some concern, she wasn't aware of any injuries from the earlier battle.

"Yeah, I got hit when…."

"Don't let him try and impress you with some hero story…just a flesh wound. Probably a bit of frag from the looks of it; he drove through it well enough on the hike out though" Rudy said in approval of the younger man's efforts.

Realizing that these guys were joking in a situation like this and brushing off shrapnel wounds like most people do a bit of spilled coffee; Kim was again humbled by the caliber of people she was in the company of.

Not wanting to be perceived weak by gushing over his wound, even if he did get it rescuing her; she decided to get into their frame of mind. _Maybe I can even surprise them…_

"So do any of you know what the banana said to the vibrator?"

Dumbfounded that not only did she seem unfazed about their earlier debate over her and Shego but now seemed to be upping the ante a bit they just shook their heads slowly.

"What are you shaking for…they're going to eat me!"

Maybe it was the ridiculous situation, or the fact of just _who _told the silly joke; all 4 of them burst out laughing. Stifling their chuckling to stay remotely tactical; they all welcomed the brief respite from the grim outlook of their situation.

Meanwhile several meters away Brett and Blake paused over a map when they heard the laughing.

"Well Boss, she seems to be settling into the team just fine…can we keep her, please, please?" Brett heckled with a voice halfway between pleading and laughing.

"Bite me Brett. Although she does handle that M-4 pretty well…"

"Let's just hope she don't have to use it for real. I think if we take this route here and try and skirt this range she might not have to." He suggested pointing back at the map.

Sighing deeply as much from exhaustion as deep thought; he took in their tactical reality.

It wasn't pretty.

They had numerous miles and endless hazards to cross depending on which route they chose. Each had its pros and cons, none of them easy to decide on with the limited knowledge they had of the enemy in the area.

"What I wouldn't give for a real time Predator drone report on this area…"

"…and I'll take an Osprey extract, large fries and a milk shake with that order too, please." Brett interjected with a sober grin.

"You've got a point…as usual you old son of a bitch." As he pulled the map up Blake made a decision, he pointed with his knife at the map, "Alright I agree with you on the general route but I want to deviate here and here. Get with Whiskey and Dark Elk and work out the details and then get some rest. We'll pull out in 2 hours."

As he got up he stretched and attempted to work out the kinks from their recent endeavors. It wasn't that he and his men weren't just as tired as Ron and Shego. They just had more experience in this sort of environment and could process it better. Deciding to go see what was so funny he walked over to Kim as she was talking.

"So I asked my Grandmother if she had ever tried 69. She said, 'No, but I have done 53 -- that's all the sailors I could screw in one night."

Chad just lost it. Almost rolling on the ground and the others weren't in much better shape. Blake was more than a bit surprised to find THE Kim Possible trading dirty jokes with his men. As he rested his hand on her shoulder his men noticed him and started to straighten up a bit. Chad however couldn't resist.

"Hey Boss, she really CAN do anything! Kim, Kim, tell him the one about the Spanish armada guy…"

Remembering where she had heard that one she deferred, "Maybe another time. Hey Blake if you're not busy, you got a minute?"

"Sure Kim, and you bloody comedians should catch a couple of winks, we move out in two."

Nodding in agreement they all laid down and promptly feel asleep.

"How do they do that?" Kim asked with wonder as Rudy was softly snoring before they walked away.

"Catch your rest where you can, one of the first things you learn in Selection. So what's on your mind?"

"Well everything I guess, it seems like I can't get my mind to stop racing; getting kidnapped, rescued, escaping, ever since you blazed into save me…" she paused when she realized she wasn't even breathing as she rambled.

"…Well I guess I'm just confused a bit. I've been on missions pretty much non stop since junior high, but I never felt anything this…I don't know…overwhelming?" she unconsciously bit her lip as she looked up at him.

Understanding all too well, Blake placed his hands reassuringly on her upper arms as he faced her and attempted to explain, "Kim your experiencing battle fatigue; some folks call it the 'fog of war'. You have done some amazing things in your life, but for the most part I'm guessing you set the terms; when where and how, am I right?"

She nodded hesitantly and eased into him a bit.

"So when you were kidnapped and then rescued with guns a blazing you had little to no control of your "sitch". Followed up by a rather…abrupt…introduction into the realities of war. Sorry again about that."

She nodded again in a way that clearly said that she understood. Inwardly she was absorbing not only his words but his voice and how it managed to sooth her more than slightly frayed nerves.

"Every person that has seen combat processes it differently. Frankly I've been impressed at how well you've handled yourself. Don't be too concerned if your mind is racing or you're a little more 'on edge', its normal and actually a healthy way to deal with the stresses of battle."

"So you guys go through this all the time? I mean I know it may sound silly but when you watch TV it seems like the troops go to war, come back to a sea of family, have a parade and every one rides into the sunset." Realizing how naïve that sounded she added, "I guess it isn't that simple, huh?"

He smiled a rather bitter smile, "Honestly I'm glad that's the picture you have in your head. It means that folks back home are safe enough to disillusion themselves to the realities of war. That means we're doing our job right over here and it isn't spilling into the streets there. It also means that people aren't spitting on returning vets like they did in the past. At the end of the day; I'll take what I can get."

Stomping down an internal rage at the thought of someone trying to spit on any one of these men who just risked there lives for her she looked up into his blue eyes, "I can't believe they call _me_ a hero, when you guys do all this and most folks will never know you exist. I mean not even a thank you…"

Placing a finger on her lips he stopped her, "Kim I didn't get into this for the ticker tape parade. I may not even agree with some of our wars; but I do believe in my men, my brothers…that's who we fight for. The guys on our left and right. It's not the flag, patriotism or apple pie. We fight for each other." Realizing he was getting a bit preachy he favored her with a lopsided grin and added,

"It doesn't hurt when the current mission means rescuing a good looking red-head…"

Playfully batting him in the arm as she reached into hug him, Kim muttered, "I'm just glad you were in the neighborhood."

It occurred to her what Wade had said earlier, "Wait a second! I've been meaning to talk to you about that! Did you really defy orders to come get me? Are you gonna get in trouble for saving me?"

Pausing a moment to decide on the best response; he chose the smarter choice, "Well, yes. I'm hoping they'll accept my court martial and dismissal and let my team off the hook; but yeah; the boys all volunteered with out a second thought. I'm sure you would have done the same for us…" looking over at the sleeping forms of Ron and Shego, he added "or them".

Following his gaze she stopped short. Ron and Shego were stretched out on the ground and comfortably dozing in each other's arms while she was embracing Blake only a few yards away. It brought something Blake had said at the warehouse into stark clarity.

It hit her like a punch to the gut.

She realized two things simultaneously. One that Blake was right earlier, Ron was and always will be a great friend regardless if he is a bit 'lost' or had found a match in Shego. She may not like it but those two did seem to be suited for each other now that she looked at them clearly.

The second thing was that she felt herself ready to look at new options. She had always been so damned set in her ways as a leader and in hindsight; even in her relationship with Ron. And then she would become a complete crushing sheep when it came to guys like Josh and Eric. She knew now that she wanted a change; and could tell that her easy interaction with Blake presented an opportunity she didn't want to miss.

"Blake, I don't know what to say. I really want you to know how much it means to me having someone like you in my life. I'm beginning to realize that my mouth and my nature have screwed up some things in the past; so if you don't mind I think I'm just going to let my actions speak for themselves and hope you stick around long enough to decided whether you want to take 'us' further".

He just pulled her up into a soft kiss and then hugged her; "I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't worry bout me wanderin' off though…you're a pretty tough act to follow."

"Uh Boss, hate to interrupt but we got a route ready and need you to take a look at something" Whiskey quietly said from behind them.

"Go. I need to do something anyways" Kim softly assured him.

Blake followed her gaze over to Ron, "All right. You may want to get some rest though; we'll be leaving before too long."

With that they parted and Kim walked carefully over to where her life long friend was coiled up with her long time enemy. In an odd way she didn't want to disturb them; they looked so peaceful.

"What's up KP?" Ron whispered.

Slightly disturbed that he had heard her approach while asleep; even more so that his eyes were so alert and…glowing faintly blue and…green? She hesitatingly responded;

"Ron we need to talk"

Not wanting to disturb Shego's rest he was about to protest when he heard a clear voice whisper,

"Go Ron, I think you two have some stuff to work out. I'll be fine."

As he looked down to thank "his" Shego as he had started thinking of her; he noticed something that, as far as he knew had never happened before…her eyes were glowing a faint green and…blue.

**Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan.**

**Yori & Sensei's Personal Dojo**

_Well this sure is turning out to be a useful skill…_ thought Yori as she astral projected herself towards the enemy encampment.

Her capabilities seemed to be improving and expanding almost exponentially. To everyone else her confidence and poise seemed to almost radiate and inspire without effort. Inwardly though she was still somewhat ill at ease with a few things.

First she wished she had more time to master her new powers prior to the impending battle. Her greatest fear was letting Sensei or her school down. Secondly she intuitively knew that the tempo of her growth directly reflected the urgency of her need to fill Sensei's shoes.

All her life she had embraced the warrior mind set that understands that death is not to be feared. In her world it is but a gateway to the next great adventure. And Sensei had certainly lived a long and fruitful life. This however did not retract the sting she felt at the thought of loosing the only family she had ever known.

_Focus Yori! You need to learn what you can about the enemy; do not dwell on what can not be changed. _

She was startled at how much the self recriminating voice in her head sounded like Sensei. She knew that it wasn't. He respected privacy far too much to intrude on her mind unless absolutely necessary. She smiled at the realization that no matter what, his teachings were so ingrained, that he would always live on in her.

Her astral form soon approached the Temple of Yono. It was situated not too far from the school to the North East off the path that ascended to the school.

She was ready for the ferocious mutated monkeys. She had seen Monkey Fist, Fukushima and even Yono before. But to this day the horrible visage of one person disturbed her the most. Perhaps it was her love of Nature and appreciation of its balance in the world; or her perception of tampering with that balance as disrespectful that disturbed her view of this…thing. The bestial form of this monster and its bulging power evident in its ridiculously strong appendages was discouraging enough, but its almost sacrilegious melding of human and animal at the head chilled her to the bone…

_As Ron-san would say; 'that is just WrongSick!'_

The form of Gorilla Fist loomed into view as she once again attempted to gain her would be love interests attention.

"Oh Monty! Perhaps we could go swing down the path and gather some bananas?" she cooed at the simian-ish villain.

Cringing as if nails had met a chalk board he turned, steeling his resolve to not push her too far. "Perhaps later my dear furry female. You know I appreciate your efforts to make me a perfect monkey army so much that I am devoted to preparing them. I couldn't possibly insult you by neglecting their training to…indulge in such pleasantries…hmmmm?"

She promptly became misty eyed and swung off into the forest, presumably to fetch some fruit.

"Master, why do you endure her incessant patter? Sure she helped with building an army but you couldn't possibly be interested in…_her_?" Fukushima implored.

In reply he received a vicious back hand that sent him sprawling into the nearby temple wall. "Apparently you have yet to learn of the inherent danger of a woman scorned. I have no doubt that a woman of her keen intellect and questionable sanity instituted some sort of chip or kill switch on these creatures, should I not be at least agreeable to her. She has even alluded to as much…"

"ENOUGH. Speak no more! We have an intruder!" With lightning quick reflexes Yono the Destroyer bolted into view and threw some sort of crystal at Yori that pierced her arm as she floated nearby.

_How did he!?! I am supposed to be invisi…_her thoughts were cut off as he rounded on her again with another blade. She quickly ascended taking in every detail that she could.

As she reached a safe distance she thought to herself, _I am going to have to ask Sensei about any other surprises like that I should know about._ Turning her mind back to the task at hand she assessed what she had learned.

_Perhaps we can exploit this weakness? She may be an abomination but she could be a useful one if she truly does have such a tool at her disposal. It appears their preparations are close to finished and it was as if they were waiting for something…or someone. _

Remembering the feeling of a gathering storm on the horizon she had mentioned to her father recently she knew that time was short. Despite his repeated warnings to let Ron find his own path on his current trial she couldn't in good conscious NOT find out if he would be able to participate in the coming battle…could she?

Inwardly she knew that she was allowing herself to believe that excuse, but frankly she was coming to a point where she felt it necessary to make her decisions without total obedience to Sensei's will.

_If I am to be Master of the school I must learn to think for myself as a leader and mentor, not just a student. _Her thoughts broiled over this as she easily followed the mystical energy trail that would lead her to the Master of The Blade.

She was mildly surprised to find him walking to the back of some small, dank cave in Pakistan. She had expected to find him in Beuno Nacho, somewhere. She was certainly not expecting to find him with his long time friend as they talked in hushed yet almost angry tones amongst what appeared to be a team of soldiers.

"…she's not what you think she is KP!"

"Ron, I don't want to argue with you, OK? I respect your judgment and am willing to hear you out."

_Well there's a first!_ Thought Yori with a smirk.

A little stunned by her statement Ron sat down and gestured for Kim to do the same and continued in a more reasonable voice, "Well thanks, I appreciate that. Umm, where do I start?"

Deciding that she needed to put the first foot forward Kim offered, "Probably where I totally blew off what you were trying to tell me last year when you came clean about your powers. Honestly it freaked me out more than I was willing to admit. It's only now that I realize how much I boxed you in while I was dealing with that…I'm sorry"

Never in a million years would he have expected that, "Well thanks, that means a lot…so yeah, that was kind of the beginning of when I started to chafe a bit about 'us' you know? It was mostly little things that just added up and then finally that gig at the Space Needle…well I guess that was the ol' straw and the camel thing…"

In hind sight; things seemed a bit clearer to her and she knew just what "little things" he was referring to. Her last minute changes to dates he had planned, shutting down his ideas for missions before he even said them…it wasn't that she didn't think he had good ideas; it was just she wasn't used to him offering them so readily.

"Listen Ron, I know I was a colossal bitch when it came to leading the team. I've learned recently that a good leader listens more than he orders. I can't take that back and I hope you can forgive me some day for all the crap I put you and Wade through."

_Perhaps she has finally learned to appreciate him…maybe she is the one?_ Thought Yori as she continued to listen in.

"KP, you've been my best and sometimes only friend for so long that I don't think I have it in me to hold a grudge over anything. That said, I need you to understand…really understand; that I'm not the same kid you grew up with. I need you to realize that I have… embraced a different path".

Thinking she knew what he was alluding to she answered, "Ron, I know. If your little…display in Hong Kong wasn't enough to get my attention, the way you look at and interact with _her_ is…"

'_Her'? Who is she talking about _gasped Yori.

"…definitely something I wished we had together. I'd be lying if I said I'm alright with your choice, but I see now that I need to start trusting you a lot more. So if she's who makes you happy and apparently completes your…new…well, you. I'll just have to adjust. But you know it won't be easy right? She's not exactly someone you're going to be taking to Temple."

Smiling Ron replied, "Kim, I can't ask for more than that, thank you for making the effort to try and understand. As for my 'display' you saw, I'm sorry you had to see that. I know that couldn't have been easy for you. I appreciate you not interfering, by the way. It wasn't how I wanted to get the info; I was just in a time crunch and didn't know what else to do. As for _her_. It sounds like that may have been a bit out of our hands to begin with. It seems there's some sort of prophecy that actually called that one a long time ago. Even Rufus somehow knew more than I did on it."

"Rufus? What do you mean?"

"Yeah my little buddy has been doing some self improvement as well; I'll fill you in later. But from what I can make out between him and Sensei there is something about a Blade and a Bloom. It's all sorts of vague and cryptic…as usual. But the cliff notes version is that somehow we're two sides of a coin or something. But I have no delusions that it's going to be easy, KP. I'm just happy to have her…and you, safe. I'll take the rest one day at a time."

"Wow. I don't know what to say. I'm glad that it seems like you are making sure to keep some perspective on it all though. I know things have been tense with us lately but I hope you always know you can talk with me, if you need to."

Smiling broadly he hugged her, "Thanks, KP. That means a lot. On that note, how about you? If I didn't know any better it looks like your making eyes at Mr. "be all you can be". You think I got a tough road ahead of me? Military relationships are a little more difficult than your average long distance thing."

Returning his smile and hug, "I don't know Ron, but I think I'll take your lead on this one," noting his questioning glance, "one day at a time…"

Deciding to pull back and return to the school Yori was a flurry of emotions.

_If he is not to be with Possible-san…then who? Who is to be the Bloom? How could I have missed something this big? If I am to be the balance for the two swords and their wielders shouldn't I have seen this coming?_

If she had not been so preoccupied with her own thoughts as she departed, she would have noticed the faintly glowing outline of the very person she was wondering about.

**Middleton, CO**

**Wade Load's basement and operations center**

_So this is what an overheated CPU feels like!?!_ Thought the young genius as Bonnie was cuddling up to him on the couch.

It wasn't that they were getting overly frisky. Actually they were just stretched out on the sofa near his computer station. They had been waiting for some sort of update from the various resources he had deployed as they anxiously anticipated news of the team out in the wilderness of Pakistan.

The pulse quickening part for him was that she had so casually stretched out with her legs up on the couch and had her head resting in his lap as she attempted to get some sleep. In itself this wouldn't be so harrowing, but this is Wade we're talking about after all. His experience in the female physical contact department was lacking to say the least.

What she was wearing didn't help either. She had asked Tara to bring over some clothes from Bonnie's room. Wade was more than a little surprised by this, given that she was all but announcing to her best friend that she had basically been living in Wade's basement since this whole thing with Blake had started. Her unhesitating response of "so what" when he asked whether she was worried what people would think about being associated with him, had certainly surprised him.

Nowhere near as much as the loose fitting, purple, silk halter top and comfortable looking silk PJ bottoms she had changed into after Tara had left. It wasn't provocative per se, but as she stretched out beside him he was awarded a pleasant view of her ample cleavage.

She had freshened up a bit as well. A subtle hint of some sort of exotic perfume was assailing his olfactory centers and combined with the amazing view and slight pressure of her head on his lap…well you really can't blame the young man for having a slight case of sensory overload.

For her part she wasn't really trying to hurl him into hormonal meltdown. She had simply decided to change her perspective on the whole "food chain" thing and was determined to make herself at ease around Wade. She found herself naturally calmer around him anyways and once he got past his occasional flustered moments; she noticed that conversation between them flowed easily.

It was new for her to find someone that she could interact with as an equal. It wasn't that her previous friends weren't equals; it's just that with Wade she was making a conscious effort to drop the "bitch" persona and attempt to approach everything on an even footing.

Unfortunately she had not anticipated the effects of her wardrobe choice on him. As she lightly dozed curled up like that, he was quite unable to focus past the basic functions of breathing and...well that was about all he was able to count on with any certainty.

She started to stir a bit; seemingly she was having a fitful rest. As he gazed down at her he couldn't help but notice as the thin material of her halter top pooled forward and revealed her perfect breasts in all their glory.

For a man that was among the smartest in the world, his thought process was rather singular and distinctly…primal.

His hand began to move of its own free will…

_No! She deserves better than that! She really has been nice to me, I'm not gonna screw it up for a cheap grope…_

His sense of honor and good upbringing only barely stopped his indiscretion. Those senses did not however stop the natural reaction that was beginning to cause a definite discomfort in his pants.

Her dream was obviously disturbing her more as she started to murmur in her sleep. Nothing coherent but he could ascertain from her restless movements that she was having a nightmare. He was reluctant to wake her since they had both been short on sleep as they followed the developing situation in Pakistan. As her movements and muttering became more forceful and erratic he decided to wake her.

"Uh, Bonnie…wake up", deciding to nudge her, he persisted. "Bonnie, you need to wake up, your having a bad dream…"

She shot her arms out around him with a start as she woke suddenly; she began crushing him in a bear hug as she stifled a scream.

"Blake! Nooooo!" Quickly she realized where she was and that it had been a dream and that she was currently squeezing Wade with an iron grip. Loosening her clutch about him she blushed slightly as she looked up at him. She couldn't understand though why he was suddenly blushing a crimson red looking down at her.

Noting her questioning glance he uttered, "Uh, er…um your shirt…"

Looking down, she realized that while squeezing the tar out of him she had managed to bunch her shirt up in a way that her breasts were fully exposed. She quickly reached her left hand up to straiten her top and balanced her self with her right hand on his leg…

_That's not his leg, is it!?!_ Was her startled realization as Wade gasped and she unwittingly let her hand linger a moment.

Pulling her hand back and straitening her garments as she sat up next to him; an awkward silence ensued. Unsure how to proceed and frankly unable to think very well anyways, Wade just sat there dumbfounded.

_Well apparently muscles and build aren't the only things that have grown on you are they?_ She thought mirthfully as she pondered where her hand had just been.

As the silence drew out, she became concerned that somehow she had scared him or done something wrong. "Wade, it's OK. I'm fine with what you saw. Don't worry about it…" she tried to reassure him and noticed that his face did relax a bit as he mustered the courage to look at her and attempt a smile, "…are you alright Wade? I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Huh? Me? Er, NO! I just um, well…you just; and your shirt and your…" trying to reign his feelings into a coherent thought he just went with what he knew, "…your beautiful!"

It's amazing how a simple comment that in any other setting could be dismissed as nothing, can take on such significance given the speaker and their genuine sincerity.

Bonnie had of course been complimented on her looks most of her life. She in fact prided herself on it. However something about the way he had said it with such insecure and yet impassioned meaning to it, stirred something deep within her.

She also realized that she may be one of the first women he had ever been in this situation with. She intuitively knew that how she handled these next few moments may very well decide not only the rest of their friendship, but his confidence with women in general.

Knowing that words were never her strong point, unless she was slinging insults she decided to let her actions speak for her. Reaching up slowly with a hand she pulled his head over to hers as she leaned forward into a passionate kiss. They stayed that way for some time as they tentatively explored each other's mouths and in a way neither of them had felt before…each other's essence. There was no other way to describe it. Whether it was the tenderness of the moment, his insecurities or her unspoken desire to be truly known…this just felt right.

Breaking the embrace slightly for air they looked deeply into each other eyes…

"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Incoming message from Global Justice!"

The electronic voice of his computer shattered the moment.

With a contented smile she assured him, "Go, we'll revisit this later."

Grinning a million dollar smile he hopped to his operations center and took the call. The distinctive visage of Betty Director filled the screen.

"Dr. Director! Do you have anything on the team!?!"

"No, we do not. I'm not too proud to admit that the majority of our reliable intelligence on the matter unfortunately has come from you. In fact that is why I have called. It would appear we are in need of your unique talents."

"I'm a little tied up here trying to get KP, Ron and everyone back home. What could possibly be as important as that?" he replied a bit more tersely than she had ever heard him before.

"Actually we believe that the two may be somewhat connected. We were able to track a unique energy signature when Professor Dementor departed the Nuclear Plant in Pakistan. It was faint and took our technicians some time to isolate and follow its path. It appears he utilized some sort of sub-orbital craft to rapidly reach a small base in the Aleutian Islands."

"Sub orbital? What like the SUSTAIN program? That thing isn't even built yet how did you guys manage to let him steal it already?" Wade interrupted incredulously.

The eye patch wearing enforcement agent sighed heavily; she wasn't even surprised he was intimately familiar with the particular program. "It would seem that there was a breach in their security concerning the plans. But need I remind you that this is a man who built the means to teleport through a telephone? Shall we attempt to remain on topic?"

Mildly chagrined he nodded for her to continue.

"As I was saying we would like to enlist your services in tracking this lead to ground."

"Uh, if your folks already have the thread, what do you want me to bring to the table?"

"It has come to our attention, that too many 'coincidences' have occurred to account to chance. It is my belief that their may be a mole either electronic or in person that has infiltrated an unknown level of various intelligence and enforcement agencies. With this in mind I have elected to bring this to you, as you have a personal investment in a successful outcome for this operation."

"One question. You said that Dementor's flight path and KP's sitch are some how related. How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Approximately 1 hour ago, several hovercrafts and other VTOL analog craft took off en mass on a southwest vector. They escaped our strike team by a mere 20 minutes. The preliminary reports have revealed the corpse of one hench man who was struck numerous times in the face by some sort of viper. More importantly there is evidence that several of Kim Possible's foes were assembled there for reasons we have yet to ascertain."

"So K gets kidnapped and all the bad guys meet up for a pow-pow and you want Wade to figure it out for you, huh?" interrupted Bonnie as she walked into view behind him.

"Miss I don't believe you have the clearance to be a part of this conversation. I'm going to have to insist…"

"You may want to rethink that. She's with me, and you do NOT dictate the terms of my operations center or who I deem a security risk." Bonnie squeezed his shoulder in thanks for his forceful defense of her to someone who was obviously important.

After the Director nodded in acceptance Wade continued, "I'll take the job on one condition…"

**Pakistan**

**Approximately 3 miles from the Afghanistan border**

They had set out a few hours before sun up and been going ever since. The noon day sun was surprisingly grueling given the cool high altitude conditions. It could also be the fact that they were almost out of water and they had eaten the last of their food prior to departure.

Blake had briefed them all that they would push through the day despite the obvious danger. He noted that normally they would travel by night and rest by day; but their situation called for rapid movement and unexpected actions. He intended to utilize a route that would maximize the shadows of numerous mountain crevices and deep valleys. He hoped that the difficult terrain along with swift passage would bring them safely to the border by this afternoon.

So far his plan had worked exceedingly well. They had only seen one patrol looking for them, and it was a pair of vehicles some way off that they easily avoided. They took a brief rest in a deep ravine while Whiskey worked out the azimuth and heading for their final push across the border.

Their last movement would take them over a mile or so of extremely exposed and relatively flat terrain. Blake and Whiskey had just taken a quick look over the mountain that separated them from that area to do a reconnaissance of the final stretch in the hopes of finding some micro terrain to hide within as they moved.

It didn't look good.

Blake brought them all in so he could brief them before they set out.

"Here's the plan. As we come over this last mountain there is a small gorge we can move within to its base, after that we are naked out there and speed will be our only friend. We are going to do a fast paced straight line down the middle of the field in the hopes to avoid the several roads that are scattered out there. We didn't see anyone but I would be surprised if they didn't have the whole damn border under observation. If we get hit spread out by elements to make a hard target but keep moving. Kim you will stay with Alpha; Ron you and Shego stick together and roll out with Bravo if the need arises. Any questions?"

They all took a brief look at the map and after a few quick questions they headed out.

As they slid out from the cover of the gorge on the other side they picked up the pace to just under a run. Every piece of non essential gear had been buried at the last stop and they got moving as fast as they could sustain. Between the adrenalin and the border being almost in sight they all moved with a renewed energy.

As they came over a small rolling hill the unmistakable sound of truck engines jamming gears met their ears. Followed by the distinctive crack of AK-47 rounds zipping not too far over their heads.

"Contact right! 5 victors, 400 yards. Alpha set, Bravo Move!" yelled Blake in a calm yet serious bellow.

"Bravo moving!" replied Brett as he led the members of Bravo element in a sprint towards the border. As they moved Alpha began engaging the oncoming vehicles.

After about fifty to a hundred yards they stopped, turned and prepared to engage as Brett yelled, "Bravo set!".

"Alpha moving!" Blake returned as his group got up and Bravo element began taking well aimed shots at the rapidly approaching vehicles.

Not familiar with these tactics, it took the newcomers a moment to figure it out. Quick learners all, it didn't take long for Ron and Shego to start hurling green plasma and blue bolts to compliment the lead and explosive projectiles of the team.

"Alpha set!"…"Bravo Moving!" another flip flop found Kim panting. After the sprint forward she realized that she needed to start contributing. Lifting her rifle to her shoulder and desperately trying to remember everything Blake had taught her she looked through the Aim Point sites. She flipped the selector switch to 'Semi' and attempted to steady her breathing as she carefully settled on a target before firing. Squeezing the trigger she was initially startled by the instant report and jerk of the weapon. As she grew more confidant with each shot she began to finally pick out where her shots were impacting on the ground near the vehicles.

Steadying herself for what she was about to do as the roar of gun fire surrounded her she began to "walk" the shots up the vehicle as she swiftly began to get a feel for the art of shooting under pressure. Her next shot startled her probably as much as the occupants of the truck she was firing at as its windshield exploded inward. Steeling herself for the follow up shot she…

"Click!" She was instantly reminded of what Brett had said at the range, "That's the loudest sound in a gunfight, your weapon clicking on empty."

Quickly recovering she yelled out, "I'm dry! I need a mag!"

"Bravo Set!"…"Alpha moving!"

A huge black hand grabbed her by the shoulder and lifted her to her feet, "Here you go," as Steve handed her a mag while they began running he added, "Hey Boss you didn't say she was Little Annie Oakley!"

Looking back while sprinting, he was startled to see Kim with a grim yet determined look on her face as she reloaded her M-4. _Damn, I hoped she wouldn't have to use that…_

As they set in and Bravo moved out she took up a firing position next to Blake. As if she had read his mind, she put on a smirk and teased him before taking aim, "so is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

Meanwhile the trucks had stopped within a couple hundred yards and out from their backs deployed over forty troops who immediately fanned out and began attempting to head them off at the border on foot.

As if that wasn't bad enough a pair of smaller trucks was spotted barreling down a dirt road from their other flank with guns blazing wildly in their general direction.

Continuing their bounding movements, the little band of Americans was making strong head way towards the border and it was within sight when things really started to get hairy.

"Incoming!" was heard from several throats at once as a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) came hurling between their two groups and exploded violently on impact with the ground.

This was followed by several more from both sides as the bounding became shorter to more effectively cover each others flanks. Blake was beginning to get worried and was about to reassess when he heard Kim yell out.

"Ron NO!" he followed her gaze to where Ron had dashed out in the opposite direction of Bravo element in an obvious self sacrificing assault on the enemy directly. Hot on his heels was Shego, slinging plasma blasts at whim over his head at the closing enemy.

"Are they fucking crazy!?!" asked Steve.

"Yeah he's a bit nuts…but she…she just loves him and has his back" was Kim's anxious assessment.

Just as Ron was closing within a few dozen meters and it looked as he would be over ran by the dozens of Taliban fighters; something odd happened.

Those closest to Ron began falling down…violently being thrown to the ground. This paused the enemies advance briefly as they tried to figure out what was happening…

"Does Ron have some sort of telekinesis?" Rudy asked Kim as they watched the scene while still running.

Blake surveying the unfolding drama broke a huge smile and answered, "No folks, I have a feeling you are being treated to a demonstration of USMC marksmanship at its finest."

They followed his gaze to the nearby hill that straddled the border where an entire company of the Corps finest were spread out and taking exceptionally aimed long range shots into the fray.

"All right folks the cavalry's here, let's move it! Suppressive fire on the move, adjust right and pick up Sparky and Blue Boy!" bellowed Blake on the fly.

As they all moved out in the direction of the welcome sight of the Marines on the hill, Ron and Shego began falling back to their group.

Once they had reached friendly lines, Blake was met by the Major that had arranged their "ride" before. The 70 plus Marines on the line had the enemy on the run as they shook hands.

Sizing up the ragged looking team he looked at Blake and broke a tight grin, "Couldn't let you boys have all the fun now could I? You get everyone you were looking for and your team all up?"

With obvious gratitude in his voice Blake responded, "Yep, and then some. Not that I don't appreciate the help, but I don't want your crew getting in trouble over our little excursion over there."

Chuckling the combat hardened officer replied, "Those straight laced sons a bitches up at HQ said I can't send any _Marines_ over the border. They didn't say nothin' bout sending bullets over there. This here is simply an impromptu marksmanship range, I thought my men could use some target practice. Seemed as good as place as any."

Smiling broadly Blake couldn't help but agree, "From the looks of that shooting I don't think they need it, but thanks again for the assist!"

"Don't sweat it. Now if you don't mind me and my boys are gonna finish up out here, why don't you get your butts back to the firm base and get cleaned up. By the way it sounded like there were some people coming out from Kabul to meet you. They'll probably be there by the time you get back."

"I appreciate the heads up, I won't hold you up from your…target practice any more. Thanks again."

In short order they all found themselves in the back of a pair of 7 ton trucks bumping on down the road towards FOB Viper. Exhausted, grimy and just happy to be alive they all found they were without words. They simply passed a canteen of water that the driver had given them and attempted to amp down from the crazy trek they had just survived.

In the first truck Shego snuggled up into Ron and they just sat there holding each other. Finally after some time Shego looked wearily up at Ron and in an even tone that belied the tempest of emotions she was working through said, "Don't you ever do something like that again…OK?"

Nodding tiredly at her he just replied, "Sure thing. Thanks for having my back by the way." Soon after they were dozing lightly, still clinging desperately to each other.

In the second vehicle a certain red head though tired, couldn't rest to save her life.

As they neared the base Kim couldn't help but worry about what was awaiting them.

"Blake, what's going to happen now, they couldn't possibly punish you after that!?!"

Smiling as he hugged her gently, "Frankly I'm just happy everyone got back safe and sound. Everything else will work itself out. Uh, Kim…" he kind of sheepishly looked around and lowered his voice as he leaned in close before continuing, "I know this may be a bit forward and I may be a little 'detained' soon, but I was wonder if you wouldn't mind going out; you know…regularly?"

Completely taken aback by his turn of subject she looked at him, "After all this, as you're looking at prison time for saving my life…you're asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Uh well yeah, I haven't had the best track record with steady girlfriends, with what I do being so secretive. I figure after this, we might just be able to make it work…"

She cut him off with a bone crushing hug and a searing kiss.

"Captain Rockwaller, you can take that as an affirmative, and I assure you; you're not going to jail."

Smiling as he regained his senses after the kiss he asked "Oh, why is that?"

"Cause I'll just bust you out of any prison they put you in." she answered with a wicked smile.

As expected they were greeted by an entourage of high ranking military personnel. An overweight man who looked like he had squeezed himself into a crisp cut new set of utilities approached them with a very stern look on his face.

"Captain Rockwaller! Who in the hell do you think you are!?!" He yelled even before Blake had jumped down from the back of the truck. Noticing the 2 stars on the man's collar he was mildly surprised that the Theatre Commander himself had come out to put him in cuffs.

Dusting himself off, Blake stood up straight and decided if he was going down he'd make the best of it.

"Well General, I believe I am the man who is about to dismiss his team and order them to get cleaned up and hit the rack. Secondly I'm the man who is going to take this damn ruck sack off his back and drop his gear. And finally I'm probably the man you're looking for, who would be more than happy to go have a talk in _private_ concerning my recent operation." Finishing his last sentence in a neutral tone the implied meaning of 'private' was not lost on the corpulent officer.

Incredulous to the fact that he had just been handled by this junior officer so easily he was about to begin screaming again when a man in plain khaki pants and shirt seemingly appeared behind him.

"I suggest you do as the Captain has advised and that the three of us go have a talk in the Ops Center. Captain see to your men; I'm going to speak with the General briefly. Why don't you join us in a few minutes?"

"Roger that." Puzzled but more concerned about his team he turned and faced them,

"Bastards, your performance was nothing short of spectacular. I can't thank you enough…Fall out!" with that the men moved towards their safe house and started taking off their gear confidant that the Boss had things in hand and would call them if he needed them.

Kim, Ron and Shego were at a loss for where to go and what to do. Not wanting to leave Blake to his fate, they started to follow him when Brett cut them off. "He can handle the brass. Ya'll would just get in the way in there. Why don't you come with me and let's see if we can get ya cleaned up and fed. I'm sure between all the boys we can find some clothes to replace them scraps you're wearin."

Heeding his advice they followed him, but not without some hesitant glances to the departing form of Blake as he entered the command building.

Blake didn't know what to expect. He had resigned himself to the ass chewing of his life and most likely a set of matching bracelets.

With that in mind you could certainly understand his surprise when he entered the small briefing room and found the general sitting almost submissively as the mysterious man in plain clothes rose to welcome him with a smile.

Shaking hands he greeted Blake, "Captain I must say that I am impressed with your successful retrieval of Kim Possible and the apparent decimation of a powerful Talliban cell."

Dumbstruck by the cordial treatment and the subdued expression on the general's face he mustered a lame, "Thanks?"

"Furthermore I am pleased to say that commendations are already being prepared for each member of your team for such a high risk mission. You are to be commended for your initiative in addressing the rapidly developing threat in the region…"

"Wait a second. Am I to understand that I am not being taken into custody? You're not here to…" Blake's interruption was in turn interrupted by the man whose tone of voice turned to an almost cajoling note.

"Now Captain, why would anyone be displeased with you? Especially since the general here will be receiving a medal for his quick thinking and excellent judgment in authorizing such a unique approach to the situation? In fact after our brief discussion, I believe that the general is rather delighted with your actions and was about to congratulate you himself…"

Standing, the general seemed confused and damn near dizzy from the rapid turn of events, "Uh, hmm, yeah. Captain you and your men did very…well. I am returning to Kabul and will report to HQ as such. Good day to you both." Leaving with that silly look on his face still, the strange man visibly relaxed once the general had departed.

"Good! I didn't want to keep that crap up much longer." Turning to Blake he addressed him in a far more sincere and normal voice, "So Captain, all things considered, are you doing OK? I understand none of your men were lost or injured, so they're all good?"

Further confused by his change in demeanor Blake had enough, "OK not that I don't appreciate whatever the hell you just did, but…who the hell are you?"

Smiling the man took a seat, "You can call me Roscoe; and right now I am here to ask for your help on a matter of great importance. Don't ask who I work for just rest assured that Special Ops Command and _other_ agencies have sent me here to fix some things and talk with you. If it matters you can think of me as the guy they call in when the normal channels are a bit…unavailable".

Taking a seat while deciphering his cryptic introduction Blake replied, "OK…Roscoe. Before we get to your important 'matter'; what the hell did you do to that general? By all rights I should be half way to the brig by now…"

"For what? Taking the initiative to do the right thing when others were too chicken shit to put their careers on the line? Nah, even if you don't take the job I'm offering I was more than happy to put that guy in his place. I didn't even have to 'persuade' him that hard. Just let him know that he wouldn't get into trouble and dangled a hero medal in front of him… he's apparently one of those Beltway Commandos who fixate on shiny things. I'm just glad that Mr. Load was quick to ensure that we were made aware of the situation developing here; he is certainly…resourceful."

"OK well I guess I owe him a beer or three. As long as me and my team are free and clear you can give that stuffed-shirt two star every bit of the credit for all I care."

"That's what I like to hear, a man who has his priorities straight. One question about your mission. Did you find any sort of sophisticated electronics or radio equipment…"

"Are you kidding? Star Trek doesn't have shit on those guys."

His smile recoiled slightly into a tight grin, "That's what I figured. OK well this goes up further than I thought. Here it is; you're a sharp enough guy you had to have noticed some things not adding up here lately."

"Yeah, you could say that. So what does that have to do with us?" Blake asked neutrally as he tried to feel out what the man knew and was willing to admit to.

"That someone or some group has infiltrated various levels of the government and numerous civilian agencies. We are unsure of the extent but it is becoming apparent that the end game is rapidly approaching."

"End game; aren't you being a tad melodramatic? And again I ask what does that have to do with my team?" inquired Blake despite the growing unease with the conversation.

"Your team has two very unique qualities that are perfectly suited to engage this threat. One, you have a flexibility and proven experience to deal with difficult enemies. Two, you have three new 'friends' that are linked to the situation. And no…I assure you I am not being melodramatic; the threat is that real. It has come to our attention that the majority of the world's 'Super-villains' have been brought together to engage a single target. Their target appears to be somewhere in Japan."

Skeptically Blake asked, "What do Kim, Ron and Shego have to do with this? And how do I know that this isn't some knee jerk reaction by some Intel weenie with an overactive imagination."

"Because the same guy you apparently owe some beers is the 'weenie' in question. GJ has enlisted his help in tracking the threat. Actually your 'get out of jail free' card was his only condition…" he paused with a grin, "and frankly I thought with your relationship to Ms. Possible and her crew you would like the opportunity to join them, because I have little doubt that when she gets the details that is exactly where they'll be heading."

He handed over a manila folder as he concluded his pitch and waited patiently as Blake skimmed over the files. In summary he was being offered an opportunity to work outside of all jurisdictional boundaries, given the key to store as far as logistics and…

"Are you for real? This can't be right…."

Smiling an almost feral grin the man nodded, "I was waiting for you to get to that part. Yes Captain Rockwaller, should you and your team volunteer and successfully complete this mission, you will be given the opportunity to freelance your team with the total autonomy you have always strived for. Wherever the bad guys go; you go. Your call. Your show. Whatever gear you need. Basically an international SWAT team if you will. You will answer directly to National Command Authority only. Pretty much your dream come true if I understood your personnel file correctly."

Blake was at a loss. It was the culmination of what he had always wanted, the ability to take the fight to the bad guys with out the red tape….

"Wait there has got to be a catch…"

His grin turned sly has he responded, "But of course…you have to survive the mission. Why don't we get the rest of the crew in here and discuss the particulars?"

**2 hours later on board a Ch-53 Helicopter**

_A whirlwind_. That was the only way that any of the passengers of the high speed helicopter could describe the proceedings of the last day and a half.

The member's of Blake's team were used to the unexpected and were adept to making the most of it. Dozing lightly in the bumpy craft they were loathe to miss an opportunity for some well deserved rest.

Ron, Kim and Shego however were still processing recent events.

Shego for the most part was willing to help out more to keep Ron safe and out of trouble.

"Well my social calendar isn't all that full, so I guess I'll tag along" was her actual response, since she didn't want Kim to think she was going soft. But the red head could tell from her foe's eyes that she would be hard pressed to be separated from Ron.

So as Shego rested lightly into Ron's arms; he, Blake and Kim were busy pumping Wade for any information he had.

His face filled the tiny screen as he shared all he knew about the gathering of villains and where they were heading.

"And that's about all I have now. Frankly I'm just glad you're all safe and I will try to have more for you by the time you get to Yamanouchi. Oh, and Ron I just got a message from the school for you."

"Great! Maybe Sensei can fill in some blanks for us…" Ron started.

"Actually it's from Yori. Sensei was really cryptic and wouldn't tell me much. Something about you would know when to come if it was your destiny or something."

"That sounds like him. So what's Yori have to say?

The screen switched to a video recording showing the lithe Asian beauty.

"Ron-san. I hope this reaches you well and safe. I understand you have endured many difficult trials. I do not wish to add to them but we need your help…"

Shego had picked up on the note of familiarity and admiration in her voice and sat up catching a glimpse of the beautiful speaker.

"So _Ron-san_ who's the little ninja nymph?" she asked unable to conceal all the jealousy in her voice.

Kim suppressed a smile at hearing her tone and interjected, "Maybe you could hold off the interrogation until we hear what the nymph has to say?"

"…Sensei has forbid me to contact you regarding this but I feel it is imperative that you come with all haste. The school requires the Mystical Monkey Master in her time of need. And I…" she paused as she attempted to grasp the right words.

"…well I understand more about your destiny than you may realize. You and the Bloom…I am unsure who she is with you, but please bring her and come quickly! Much is at stake and…just please come as soon as you can."

With that the transmission ended and Wade returned to the screen, "Well she has certainly picked up on Sensei's style of mysterious messages."

Nodding his head slightly; Ron agreed, "You said it. Wish I could let her know that we're already on our way."

Looking at his watch Blake interjected, "Well in a few hours I guess she'll get a pleasant surprise. So Ron; I know that you have loyalties to this Sensei guy, but my team and I are about to put our necks on the line. Why don't you start filling me in on everything you know about this secret ninja school…"

Shego finished for him with a nasty grin, "…specifically little ninja minxes that make doe eyes at my property!"

_Well this should be interesting… _thought Ron as he began to fill them in.

**Middleton, CO**

**Wade's Basement**

"I guess I'll leave you to it and sign off…uh, good luck Ron!"

Turning off the monitor with a grin, Wade turned to Bonnie. She was curled up on the couch still wearing the same outfit from earlier. He noted a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

"What's wrong Bonnie? They all made it out safe. We did it. They got the support they needed and Blake is getting a medal instead of a pair of handcuffs…"

"I'm not sad silly. I'm just happy that it worked out like you said it would. If you hadn't done everything you did…" pausing as she decided she didn't want to let her mind travel down that road again, "…you helped save my brother. I can't thank you enough…"

"No big Bonnie. I'm just glad I could help." He looked at his feet as he rocked uncomfortably in his chair a bit, "I, uh…guess this means you're going to head home and…I guess I'll see you…"

He stopped short as he noted a distinct change in Bonnie's posture. She sat up and slowly got up from the sofa as a seductive smile slipped across her face.

"Oh; I'm not going anywhere…"

Not sure what to do he just bumbled out, "Uh, I'll let you know when Blake get's there and keep you up to date…"

Her smile turning to a coy scowl, "Oh I don't think you understand. I _said _I couldn't thank you enough. That doesn't mean I'm not going to try…" she teased as she slowly got on her knees.

His rising vital signs were the least of his concerns as he panted out, "Uh, Bonnie what are you doing?"

Unzipping his pants and brazenly reaching in, she looked up at him with smoldering eyes, "Why giving you your reward of course…"

**To be continued…**


	10. Ch 10 Gathering Clouds

**A/N: **I certainly appreciate the excellent reviews! You all continue to amaze me with your perceptive observations and thought provoking comments. I can't thank you enough. Your kind words as to my writing ability are a direct reflection of all the help you have given me in growing as a writer.

So a big thanks out to: **Morcelu, Thoughts13, reddragonn343, Dagda06117032, eoraptor, trekkifulron, Cody Fett , bigmark2005, Limby, zardoz101, bigmark2005.**

It was brought to my attention that there are distinct similarities to my story premise and **Captainkodak1'**s excellent story **The Lotus Bloom**. I had thought I had given him the props he deserved for helping inspire this earlier; but alas on my review of the previous chapters…I did not. So to be clear, between him and **Quis Custodiet;** I owe a debt of gratitude for planting the seeds that helped this grow. BTW- The Captain has a pretty cool illustrated version of that story you should check out along with his other fine work.

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: This is Disney's ball of wax. They made it up and get the entire credit and bank roll. I am just happy I could play in the park and get to bring friends like Blake and his gang along for the ride.

**The Blade and The Bloom**

**Chapter 10: Gathering Clouds**

**Middleton, CO**

**The basement of one VERY content genius**

"You realize that you very likely ruined me, don't you?" Wade lazily inquired to the tanned beauty on the bed next to him as they basked in an almost palpable morning after glow.

"You? What about me? You may be lacking in experience, but you make up for it in energy and willingness, Mr. Wade. A girl could get used to that sort of attention…"

"Thanks, but I'm seriously considering retiring right now if it means I could stay in here and do…_that_, all the time." He admitted a little sheepishly.

"Oh no you don't. If you think I'm going to get tied to a bed or that you're going to avoid doing all that super tech stuff you do…you got another thing coming." She stated in no uncertain terms but then amended, "Well maybe the tied to the bed thing has promise, but we'll get to that later…"

Laughing softly Wade was amazed at how such intimacy had eased so much of his tension around the bronzed beauty. He had of course immensely enjoyed his "thank you" but even more he had been entranced by the effect that a woman's sensual touch could have on him.

"So what would you like to eat? I think we've certainly worked up an appetite." He inquired.

"Uh, there's a nice little Greek place down off 23rd that has great Gyros. What do you say?"

Instead of answering he just reached over to a small terminal by his bedside and started typing in a rapid one handed blur, "Hmm, hmm, yep and yep; oh Bonnie did you want extra sauce with that?"

Nodding with a puzzled expression she asked, "What are you…"

"Done! Our food will be here in about 20 minutes." Noting the quizzical look on her face, "What!?! I thought you said you wanted Gyros from that place? So I made it happen. What are you looking at?"

Stomping down her confusion and mild irritation she asked, "Do you have the whole planet wired? No wonder you don't get out much, the world comes to you. I said I wanted to _go _there! I wanted to be with you and dammit I want to be seen with you! Is that so much to ask, to interact….in person; with humanity?"

She realized that she was being mildly irrational, but hoped that he would at least see her point.

Wade for his part was at a loss.

_She wants to be seen with me? She wants to go out with me? Wow! Who'd have thought? Guess I need to reassess this._

"Er, Bonnie? I just saw a problem and fixed it. It's what I do. Apparently I need to start learning more about how to 'interact' like you said. Maybe, um, you'd be willing to teach me?"

That was all she wanted to hear as she lunged for him and pulled him into a searing embrace and kiss. Falling back into the bed they rolled about a bit more playfully than passionately and finally ended up on their sides facing each other.

"Well since I am going to be tutoring you on the finer points of socializing I intend to be compensated for my efforts." Noting the lustful look in his eyes as he started to run his hand up her leg. "Not like that! Though I like where your head, er…mind is at. No I actually want you to teach me something."

Intrigued, Wade stopped his hand's northward advance and looked her in the eyes. "Oh? And what is that?"

"Well since I am practically living here why don't you teach me how to use some of this stuff so I can help out?"

Wade's jaw acted as if it had busted a hinge as his mind raced. When his eyes started to gloss over Bonnie became a bit worried.

"Wade! Wade! Did I say something wrong? Are you OK?" she said as she shook him.

Coming to his senses, he chuckled lightly, "Of course I'm OK, I was just wondering what I did right in a past life to have a gorgeous woman in my bed who not only likes me for who I am but wants to learn about computers! OK? I am frickin' outstanding!"

Touched by his assessment, she was relieved that he was open to her request. She knew some techies got possessive of their digital realm. Oddly she had always been decent with computers, not that she would have let any of her high school friends know. It didn't jive with her status in the food chain. But she had always harbored an interest and since it seemed she would be spending some time in the lair of computer genius…why not?

"Wade, I think this may be the beginning of…." Realizing how corny that was going to sound her face broke into a feral smile as she looked him up and down like a piece of meat. Pouncing on him she asked "Scratch that, how much time 'til the delivery guy gets here?"

**Mt. Yamanouchi, Japan**

**The courtyard of the Secret Ninja Academy**

She approached Sensei as quietly as she could. He was sitting on the bench in front of the reflection pool and seemingly lost in thought.

She knew it was futile to attempt to surprise him. Recently, while talking with her 'sister' Alexandria she had realized that he had always seen her coming through his ability to perceive auras and intent, not her lack of stealth.

But old habits die hard and frankly she still enjoyed the old game with her father.

"I doubt anyone else could have gotten as close as you, daughter. However you are at a disadvantage, given that your spirit burns so bright. I truly am proud of the woman you have become."

His wistful voice entailed to her that his thoughts were on the coming battle and what would pass. She knew he was proud of her, but his tone seemed to have an underlying meaning.

"You know, don't you?" she said neutrally as she sat beside him.

"Yes, of course. In fact I am impressed that you held out as long as you did."

"You are not mad? I sense no malice in your assessment of my actions. Do you then agree that it was right to contact Ron-san?" she asked with a kindling hope.

"No. I do not. But that was not why I told you not to do it."

He noted her confused expression, "It was my final lesson for you, my dear child. Often will others insist on their own way. Sometimes they will be right, sometimes they will be wrong. But as you pass through the decades and then centuries, you will have few knowledgeable enough to act as counsel. Therefore it is imperative that you learn to trust your instincts. Together with the experience that lifetimes will bring, you will learn to see the correct path and must possess the drive to follow it regardless of other's wishes."

"So it was a test?"

"Of sorts. Your interference was of little consequence, leading me to believe that you're judgment and timing is perhaps better than I could have hoped. Perhaps even a bit fortuitous."

"Father, I have known you all my life. I have to ask; will you ever give me a straight answer?" she asked with a little mirthful smile.

Laughing Sensei patted her shoulder and gestured to the sky, "Fair enough; look up."

Following his gaze she strained to see several little dots free-falling through the sky and seemingly heading their direction. Not wanting to get her hopes up, she patiently waited.

As the lowest 'dots' suddenly blossomed into billowing parachutes her heart soared.

"It's Ron-san! He has come…" then twelve other parachutes flared open and her face grew curious, "…with friends?"

"Indeed. It is time for the gathering, as foretold in the scrolls. 'A gift of the heavens will descend just prior to the great battle. Among them will be the Chosen, his Bloom and the one who will accompany the master of the school through their travels."

Yori was unaware of this prophecy, _Who is this to 'accompany' me?_

She decided to keep her question to her self and rest assured that what was meant to be would be. Besides the first of the sky divers were rapidly approaching the courtyard.

First on the ground was Steve who was greeted by a very anxious looking little ninja on guard duty. The poor little guy had never even met a black man before, much less one as large as Steve. He nervously looked to Sensei.

"All is well. Young one; go see to the man's parachute and equipment." As the rest of the team came in for landing he continued, "Welcome. We have been expecting you; please forgive me if I hold introductions until everyone is with us."

Shrugging Steve just looked down at Sensei as he hefted his weapon up and slung his sling over his broad shoulders, "Sure thing." He looked around tentatively and then moved over to where he saw Blake touching softly down.

"Hey Boss, looks like the head cheese is over there."

"CHEESE!?!" came a diminutive but excited voice from about twenty feet above.

"No Rufus! Stay in my pocket your gonna…"

CRRAASHH!!!! Ron executed his trademark landing into the trees nearest the courtyard.

"…throw off my landing. Damn! I almost had it that time!" Ron lamely finished as he began cutting himself and the disappointed naked mole rat down out of the tree. A set of soft hands assisted him unseen from below. As he jumped clear a familiar voice confirmed his suspicions.

"At least this time you retained your pants Ron-san," Yori giggled playfully as she helped him out of his harness.

Suddenly a green plasma ball scorched a whole clean through the trunk of the tree directly over Yori's head.

"And what would you know about a pantless Ron there you little black satin slut!?!" barbed Shego as she stalked over to the pair.

Choosing his words carefully and his tone even more so, Ron interjected, "Uh, Shego, you know how I always would loose my pants at all the wrong times back in the day? That's all she was…"

"I think the Ninja Nymph can speak for herself! So missy? What were you trying on my…"

Standing straight and brazenly bowing up on the taller woman Yori raged, "Your what!?! Ron-san is a warrior hero of this school! Who are you to question me or any…"

"ENOUGH! Yori as the next Master of this Academy, is this any way to treat honored guests?" Sensei didn't so much yell as radiated his words into those involved. No one questioned his words when stated as such.

Chagrined, Yori wilted under the realization of her actions. Bowing respectfully, "Shego…san. Please forgive my trespass; I have dishonored my position by my ill-manners. While it is no excuse please know that I have nothing but concern for Ron-san's best interests and meant no disrespect by the joke about his tendency to lose his pants. "

Taken aback Shego quickly recovered and looked at Ron who was tensely following the exchange and looking at her imploringly to 'be good'.

Bowing tensely Shego uttered through clenched teeth, "Since you're a friend of Ron's; OK. But watch it sister." She then straightened and approached Sensei slowly and bowed low. In a respectful tone she stated clearly, "I ask you for forgiveness for my rash actions. Ron has told me of all you have done for him, and I thank you."

Smiling at her appropriate response as well as Ron's gaping expression Sensei responded, "Of course Shego-san. You are more welcome here than you realize…" turning to the assembled troops and Kim, "…as are you all. Please let us adjourn for tea in the main hall. I am certain you are weary from your travels and we have much to discuss."

As they sat on floor mats around a low cut table in the middle of the large dining hall it was evident to all that something significant was taking place. At one head of the table sat Sensei and the other Ron. To Ron's right sat Shego, then KP, Blake and his team. To Sensei's right sat Yori, her leading advisor Mastumaru, Hirotaka and the other senior instructors. Assembled at this table was clearly one of the most comprehensive and versatile group of warrior's in history.

Sensei began, "Welcome all to the Yamanouchi School. We have existed for centuries in secret as we prepared select students in the ancient art of Ninjitsu. It has been prophesized that this meeting would occur. However I must admit that I am both pleased and surprised by its fruition."

Puzzled, Ron asked, "Surprised? I didn't think anything got by you Master Sensei?"

Chuckling Sensei responded, "Ronald-san I may present an air of all-knowing but I assure you that I am certainly capable of being caught as you say 'flat-footed'. I believe some introductions are in order."

As Sensei introduced the leading instructor staff, Shego took in the group warily. She of course knew the American's present, some more than others. She couldn't put her finger on it but the school and Sensei seemed somehow familiar. Oddly she felt comfortable and at peace in this place that had been transformed into a fortress. However an uneasy feeling was growing within her as to what her place here actually was.

After introductions Blake spoke up, "I understand that Ron is a person of some importance here and I don't wish to speak out of place but perhaps we should discuss the tactical situation?"

Yori answered in a clear voice, "I agree. You are right of course that as a Warrior Hero of this school, Ron-san is important, however he has brought with him some one of equal importance that we must clarify..."

Mistaking Yori's intent, Shego interrupted loudly, "Yes, he brought a bloody criminal with him. Yes, I'm wanted in more countries that I can count. But if you think I'm going to leave his side just so you can..."

"Forgive my saying so, but I believe you mistake my daughter's meaning. She was speaking as my successor and the next leader of this school. She was speaking of the Blade and the Bloom." Sensei explained in his usual melodious voice.

"Daughter? Successor? I leave for a year or so and everything gets thrown up in the air?" Ron inquired.

"Yes Ronald-san, as the prophecies have been coming to pass it is evident that she is to be the next master of this school…" Sensei began.

"BADDICAL! Good for you Yori! That explains how you were able to help out in the mountains and I thought I 'felt' you watching a few times…" Ron excitedly began to jabber.

"She was there in the pass? What do you mean she's been watching us?" Shego inquired skeptically with an elbow to his ribs.

"Shego-san, it has been foretold that the Master of the Mystical Monkey Power will be joined with the woman who will wield and in many ways become the Lotus Bloom. This has a very real impact on the outcome of the coming battle and as Capt Rockwaller put it the 'tactical situation'..." Sensei noted Shego eyes throwing daggers at Yori, "…and Yori-san as my successor will be instrumental in the balancing of the incredible power these two individuals will wield. The Lotus Bloom is to have a tremendous responsibility and influence on coming events as well as our survival."

"And what does this all have to do with me?" Shego asked with more barb than she meant to.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure that he means you…" Ron hedged in as encouraging a note as he could muster.

Sure she had heard the monks in Hong Kong mention it, and she had talked with Ron about 'the Bloom thing' as they had started to call it. But sitting here in a secret ninja school, with an impending battle as you're told you're part of some sort of prophesized Dynamic Duo…well it's a bit more than she was willing to take in at the moment.

"Oh." she lamely uttered.

_And this is who the fates have determined to accompany Ron-san?_ Thought Yori with more than a little venom.

"Well, um…yeah…", seeing all those eyes on her just increased Shego's unease, "listen Ron I'm gonna go check the joint out, and…I'll see you later…" getting up to depart she stoically exited the nearest door.

Moving to follow her Sensei spoke up, "Ronald-san, perhaps it is best that you allow her space to absorb this new information. Shall we continue? Perhaps we should begin with a layout of the recent additions to the school's defenses?" a large sheet of paper detailing the defensive plan of the school was laid out before them.

Ron whistled, impressed, "You've been busy…"

After that things became down right business like. Blake laid out what assets his team could bring to the table as did Yori. It was decided that a merging of conventional forces, ninja and mystical would best suit their needs.

Matsumaru would lead the students and alumni forward in battle allowing Blake and Yori to handle the command and control in the main hall. Brett would command the forward American elements with two guys while the rest of the Bastards would split into pairs to augment the ninja teams. Their two snipers would take position in the tallest temple to provide overhead cover and observation. Kim would stand by in the control center with a reserve force to rapidly assist anyone that needed help.

Throughout the planning Sensei said very little. He nodded and replied when asked something but in general left the overall scheme to the others. When the plan was drawn up and some of the finer points had been hashed out they all looked to him for his opinion.

Sighing deeply he spoke calmly after some time, "You're plan is indeed well conceived. I caution you not to be overly concerned with it's execution to the letter as I anticipate numerous unexpected events to develop. I wish I had more to tell you. I do know that at some point I will need to take a group of ninjas to engage Yono. I may be the only one capable of stopping him." Pausing for a moment he continued,

"I must say I am impressed as to the skill and diversity represented at this table. Captain Rockwaller I am honored to have a team such as yours willing to assist us. The merging of ancient and modern warfare here is re-assuring to me. Thank you all for your efforts."

"Certainly, Sensei. It's an honor to assist. Now that we have a plan in place may I ask if you have any intelligence on the enemy we are facing? Anything you have would be helpful." Blake asked respectfully.

"Of course. As you have been told this school is very old, as am I, so forgive me if this explanation is a bit lengthy; it has been long in the making…

The man who has brought this scourge of evil together has gone by many names throughout history, some you may recognize, others you may not. He has had shadowy personas such as Rasputin and as bold as Genghis Khan. He was the puppet master of such conquerors as King Xerxes and Napoleon. His given name however is 'Razan'" Letting the name hang in the air he gestured to Ron,

"Would you please call The Lotus Blade so that we may see it?" Ron did so and laid it on the table, its pristine condition belying its centuries of battle. It glowed softly blue as the Bastards looked at it closely for the first time. Sensei then continued,

"Razan and a man named Kensaku were the two master craftsmen that labored to create this sword and its…companion; almost two millennia ago in the depths of this very mountain. Little did anyone realize that Razan desperately coveted it and had secretly kept one of the mystical jewels intended for the Bloom for him self. With it he was able to absorb enough mystical energy to attain near-immortality and entwine himself into the very fabric of the world's criminal element.

His hand was forced several years ago when due to a mission I sent some of my ninja's on; his staff was broken and the jewel fell into Aviarius' hands. His powers and influence had grown beyond needing it as he appears to be working towards his end game.

Everything he has been doing in and out of the shadows has been towards this battle. Unlike many villains, he is not mad, his evil is pure and his vision clear, with a very keen intellect, benefiting from millennia of knowledge.

It is my belief that he wishes to defeat the Master of the Blade and to acquire the Lotus Bloom and claim the woman who wields it for himself. Should he do so he would likely be unstoppable in the mortal realm.

It would be your undoing to underestimate him as he has proven to be the most formidable foe I have ever encountered and though his plans have been thwarted repeatedly…he has never been beaten."

An ominous silence ensued. Allowing them all to absorb the information, Sensei waited for any questions. Seeing that there were none he concluded,

"With that, myself and Yori need to see to various preparations. Hirotaka please see our honored guests to their quarters, after you are all settled I am certain that Matsumaru would be happy to show Ms. Possible, Captain Rockwaller and his team around the grounds and answer any questions you may have. Again I welcome you and thank you for your assistance."

As he stood, so did the rest of the assembled personnel. Ron made to follow after Shego when Sensei hailed him, "Ronald-san. Perhaps you would humor me with something."

"Uh, Master Sensei, you know any thing for you, but I really need to find Shego, I think she is really spooked and…"

"I understand. Your concern for your Bloom is admirable. However I believe that I should speak with her first." Noting Ron's quizzical expression he continued with wry smile, "I remember when another young person was first told of the extent of their powers and the expectations they entailed. He too required a period of…adjustment".

Realizing what he was alluding to Ron smiled whimsically, "Yeah but your not gonna send her off after a madman with some funky monkeys to get her over it are you?"

Chuckling Yori interceded, "It worked for you, did it not?" noting his surprised expression she eased his fears, "No Ron-san I believe my father's intent is to simply answer…Shego's questions and lend her the support necessary to accept her destiny."

"Indeed. I would ask that you allow me this opportunity to speak with her as I have awaited her arrival here for longer than you can imagine. Actually I was hoping that you would go speak with 'Master Lunch lady' as you call her. She has missed your antics and I imagine that between the two of your considerable culinary talent we would have a most excellent feast this evening." Sensei asked with a bit more anticipation than expected.

_Wow, Sensei wants me to cook? Sure why not?_ Ron thought with some wonder.

"Uh, sure! Maybe that way I can actually score some food around here for once!" he joked as he turned and headed towards the kitchens. As he departed he added, "And thanks for looking out for Shego; she…means a lot to me".

_He truly does care for her, _thought Yori as she attempted to reign in the flurry of emotions his statement invoked in her.

As Yori and Sensei began to walk towards the back half of the school Yori spoke softly to her father, "What are we to say to Shego? Her demeanor certainly is not what I expected of the Bloom. Perhaps she is not the one?" she asked the last bit with more hope than she meant to let out.

In a disapproving voice Sensei wheeled on her, "Yori! We have spoken of this already. You must put your personal feelings for Ronald-san aside. I have little time to ensure that you are ready to embrace your destiny and even less to prepare this woman for hers. Need I remind you that the finest diamond begins as a rough lump of coal? You need to see past the gruff exterior, and see the true spirit that burns beneath."

Ashamed at her failure to see past her own desires, Yori thought back to the interaction between Ron and Shego and the genuine affection between them. She also realized how her own actions had set the other on the defense early on. Finally she projected her awareness outward for the first time since the newcomer's arrival. It didn't take her long to find Shego's aura behind the next building. It burned like an emerald nova! She nodded in understanding as she looked back to her father.

"You are right. I have failed in controlling my emotions. Hers is certainly the spirit of a warrior befitting the Bloom."

His countenance softening, Sensei embraced her tenderly; "It is fine to err as long as you learn from it. Our greatest lessons often are found in our failures. Rest assured that your emotions are the key to your endurance in this role and with time they will be one of your greatest tools. You have done well to recognize and learn from this."

Turning towards the building he gestured for her to follow. As they came around the corner they were treated to a rather brilliant display of martial prowess as Shego's plasma charged fists dealt savage blows into a practice dummy. Her rage nearly spent she stopped, panting by the ashen remains of the sparring field when she noticed her impromptu audience.

Straitening and addressing Sensei she apologized, "I'm sorry…had to vent a bit. I'll replace these…"

Sensei cut her off with a reassuring smile, "No need. In short order I am certain we will have no shortage of opponents to engage. In the meantime, would you be willing to discuss what you felt the need to 'vent' about?"

She blatantly assessed the wizened old man. He stood and calmly accepted her scrutiny as only a man of his capabilities could. Finally she seemed to relax a bit and asked plainly,

"Why me? I'm no hero. I gave that life up a long time ago! I got no need to be some friggin' mystical champion. My destiny's my own to make! Sure I care about Ron…A LOT. But does it really mean that I have to sell my…"

Sensei interjected delicately, "Soul? By no means. In fact your relationship with Ronald-san is in no way dependent on your wielding the Bloom. You need only decide one thing at this moment and I assure you, everything else will fall into place."

"And what's that?"

"When the time comes, will you protect those that you love?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked hesitantly; afraid that she already knew the answer.

"Only you can say. Perhaps in the meantime you would humor me?" noting her interested look, "It would seem you have gotten off to a poor start with my daughter. In the battle to come I will be needed many places and I would like for you two to be on better footing since I believe we all will need to rely on one another. May I suggest that you both take some time to spar and…unwind a bit?"

Startled by the suggestion, Yori was about to protest when she realized it was not her place to. She needed to follow her father's lead and frankly she had wanted to do some physical training to off set all her studies.

_Besides I want to see what this bitch has got._ Both women thought simultaneously.

With a grin Shego answered, "Sure, why the hell not?"

Sensei bowed briefly and left. As he turned neither female could see the faint smile he was attempting to suppress.

"So what do you say you drop the blades you've got hidden in your gi and I'll hold off on the fireworks?" Shego spat at the diminutive ninja.

Flinging the blades with startling precision into a nearby tree she taunted, "But of course. I wouldn't want to hurt you any more than necessary." She ensured that she said this with a bit more insolence in her voice than Shego was accustomed to enduring.

"Why you little…" Shego leaped forward with a dazzling flip, attempting to bulldog Yori into the wall of the nearby building.

Diving into a tight somersault Yori easily avoided the incoming heel kick and spun up to her feet gracefully.

"Nimble little minx, aint ya!?!" barbed Shego, deciding to utilize her trademark banter to keep her off balance she continued, "so you're the little nymph I saw on the recording?" turning her shoulder to offer a tantalizing target she asked, "how long you been lusting after my man?"

Despite herself Yori couldn't suppress the rage and flew forward with a vicious hand/elbow attack.

Unfortunately for her this is exactly what Shego had wanted as she crouched and spun under the assault in a flurry of knees and elbows that tore into the exposed mid section of the younger woman.

Realizing her mistake Yori did the only thing she could do. Going limp and allowing her inertia to flow through the onslaught as she exhaled forcefully and rolled past. Mentally berating herself she sprung to her feet and attempted to put a little distance between them.

Shego reminded herself that she didn't want to cause permanent damage; she suppressed the urge to close and finish. Allowing the other woman to collect herself she however couldn't resist the urge to push her buttons. "Touched a nerve did I? Really I figured that you'd be more 'Zen' or something. It must really torque you seeing your 'warrior hero' show up with one of the bad guys huh?"

Realizing that she was being baited didn't make it any easier to resist the urge to pummel her agitator. Yori took a calming breath and remembered her recent lessons in the jungle.

'_To every question you will ever have; the answer can be found in Nature'. So what's the answer…NO! What's the question…what is her Nature? _

Reaching within herself Yori tapped into her _other_ senses and attempted to read the other woman more accurately. She was not surprised to find more than a little vanity and pride. An abundance of confidence was not unexpected, but as she felt out her opponent while they circled for another round it suddenly hit her…

_Guilt!?! She's not sure she is worthy of Ron because of…_

Her thoughts were cut short as Shego decided rest time was over and delivered a savage backhand left with a follow up right. Neither connecting too hard but enough to ring Yori's bell.

Going purely on instinct Yori spoke as she countered with a palm to the solar plexus and a knee to the thigh, "Yes it did bother me to find you were chosen to be the Bloom." She countered another right and switched her attack to some rapid kicks to the legs to back the larger woman up, "In fact I had thought it would be my honor to be with Ron-san."

Her blatant admission had the anticipated affect of surprising Shego slightly. Wanting to keep her on her heels Yori continued, "However I see now that he may have chosen wisely." Diving forward with a back heel strike while rolling that connect harshly with Shego's torso; Yori bounded away and finished, "it would appear that the biggest question is; are you 'torqued' that you are no longer responsible for just yourself?"

Shego stopped cold. _How dare she?!? Who does she…_ faltering as she realized that maybe there was more truth there than she cared to admit; Shego put her fists down.

"You really do care about him don't you?" Shego asked honestly.

With a steady gaze Yori responded, "Yes, I do. Ron-san has been a key part of my life for many years now, even when he wasn't here. I realize now that my role in his life may not be what I wished it to be. However that does not mean that I won't do everything I can to ensure his happiness."

"Even put up with a green skinned criminal?" Shego asked with hint of hope mixed in with her trademark bravado.

Smiling for the first time Yori stated evenly, "More like a hard headed bitch with an excellent right hook. Yes Shego-san I do hope to be your friend. Perhaps we can both learn from each other and in turn prepare ourselves for the coming storm. There are likely to be…situations, that our combined efforts will be greater than the sum of our individual contributions."

"You're picking up on your Dad's cryptic answer thing aren't you?"

Grinning wider she approached and clasped her hand, "I imagine so. Perhaps before we return to the others you would teach me that crouch and flurry technique you utilized, it was most…effective?" she asked while rubbing her flank.

"Only if you give me some pointers on those low kicks you used, if I hadn't been wearing boots I'd be hobbling." Shego answered good-naturedly.

"Certainly. So we are as Ron-san says 'all good' now?"

Re-assessing the lithe ninja before her Shego nodded, "Tell ya what. You dish me some good dirt to pester Ron with from when he was training here and I'll call us square."

**Not far away at the Temple of the Yono **

_The annual Villains Convention's got nuthin on this!_ Thought Dr. Drakken as he looked excitedly over the crowded field.

Crammed all the way to the distant forest wall was a veritable horde of mutated monkey warriors intermingled with hired henchman as well as the various super-villains brought into the fold.

Speaking of villains; in attendance was a who's-who list of notorious bad-guys. In addition to the A-list of Kim Possible foes previously staged at the secret base in Alaska were numerous Yakuza and Triad thugs. It seemed that their mysterious benefactor had spared no expense in building his army. Represented was every form of vile and heinous intent balanced by the maniacal and nefarious genius of others.

It was chilling to say the least.

After a brief discussion with Yono, Monkey Fist, Gorilla Fist and Fukushima the mysterious ring leader stepped forward onto the raised platform of the temple and assessed the fruits of his labors. A grim yet pleased smile crept across his lips.

_Everything is progressing as planned. My centuries of toil will not be in vain. This time I will be victorious!_ Were the elated and disturbingly clear thoughts that passed through his considerable mind.

He held out his hand and focused. With a slight flash an ancient looking staff materialized and he raised it high above his head. It began to radiate a dazzling array of lights that though bright, seemed to be heavily laden and lacked the luster seen in such mystical items as the Blade.

He brought it straight down to the stone with a rapid thrust that boomed across the training field. Its resounding echo brought the cacophony of animal and human alike to a dead silence. All turned and gave their undivided attention to the man in question.

After a brief moment he spoke. His voice seemed to radiate and could not only be heard in the furthest reaches of the area but seemed to be felt by one and all.

"You have all received your assignments. Your final instructions are simple…the utter destruction of every living being on this mountain, starting with the school not far away. Failure to obey your immediate leaders will be dealt with swiftly…and lethally. There will be absolutely no tolerance of cowardice or disobedience. Your adherence to the plan is critical to our success. That success will guarantee you riches beyond your wildest dreams…and make no mistake; we WILL be triumphant!"

Pausing a moment to revel in the intense cheers of those assembled he continued,

"I have only one other important note and I will let your lieutenants brief the rest. Listen to me and hear me clearly! The Wielder of the Blade must die by my hand and my hand alone…but I assure you Ron Stoppable will die! And when I wield the Blade and have infused the Mystical Monkey Power, the Bloom will finally be mine as well. With that we will set our sights on the WORLD!"

**Yamanouchi School **

**A short while later**

Sensei sat meditating in his personal dojo. He knew that he would come, and was awaiting the next individual that would require preparation to meet their destiny.

As he entered the dojo's thin doors barely rustled and Sensei betrayed no indication that he knew he was not alone.

The soft steps fell silent as the individual approached and stood silently behind the wizened old man.

_How can I speak to him about this? Will he understand? Maybe I'm being too bold in my asking…_ the figure thought expectantly.

Though he remained seated and facing the Lotus Blade's resting place, Sensei spoke kindly, "My friend I have waited a long time for this _conversation. _I believe you will have a position of great importance in the future here and I am grateful for the companionship you will offer my daughter. And do not fear you are too bold or that I will not understand…"

Turning he offered the diminutive figure a warm smile, "Your home here will be both rewarding and exceptional. Thank you for embracing your destiny…Rufus-san".

**On the other side of the grounds…**

_All things considered my head should be spinning…but after the last few days I guess I should start getting used to the strange curves life can throw… _thought Blake as he walked with Kim around the school.

Noting his wry grin and slight shaking head Kim asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Pausing for a moment he took in everything around him with a deep sigh.

The sweaty smell of men and woman toiling over the final preparations mixed with the slight smoke of weapon kilns, incense and cooking fires. Add to that the brilliant cherry, lilac and lotus blossoms lending their fragrant donation to the collective effort.

The rhythmic pounding of embattlements being re enforced and swords clanging in practice seemed to be offset by the various friendly conversations of warriors getting to know one another and trading stories. The nearby water fall added a soothing backdrop to the resonant current of acoustic input.

That same waterfall lent a slight mist and refreshing feel to the air as he breathed deep and tried to dampen the assault of nervous energy and anticipation that one could almost taste in the air.

Finally his gaze took in the eclectic array of warriors and weapons. His hardened combat vets were chatting amicably with dedicated Ninjas that could have easily stepped out of any number of pages in history. His team's ammunition and explosives sat alongside spears, swords and throwing stars. It was an unimaginable sight that he was witnessing first hand and felt oddly comfortable with.

"Blake? Seriously are you OK?" Kim asked a bit concerned by his wistful pause.

"Strangely…yes. If you would have told me a month ago that I would be prepping my men in an ancient ninja school to go into battle against lunatic geniuses and mutated monkeys…well; let's just say my life has certainly gotten much more interesting since I met you." He stated with a good natured smile.

Feeling somewhat responsible for his noted turn of events she said with a start, "Oh Blake, I'm so sorry I dragged you into this…"

He cut her off by embracing her tightly, "Don't even go there. While I have seen enough battle to not crave more, this is every warrior's dream. To have a clear cut objective against a truly evil enemy in a stand up fight where there're no civilians to get hurt in the middle… nope I can't think of any where else I'd rather be right now."

Pulling him down into a desperate kiss she attempted to mutter a thank you but was soon lost in the moment.

Eventually pulling back for air he looked her up and down with obvious desire and teased, "Besides the scenery is exceptional."

Eyeing him with equal hunger she grabbed his hand and pulled him eagerly towards a nearby building with a meaningful grin.

"Well Captain Rockwaller I have to say that I wish I could say the same thing."

Surprised by her comment but liking the look in her eyes he feigned a hurt expression, "What, you don't even find me remotely attractive?"

As they entered a small stone building she pushed him in and pulled the door shut, locking it behind her. He turned and took in the dim light reflecting off the tiles in the nearby stall…

"Oh, I couldn't say for sure under all that gear and filth…so what do you say we do something about that? Hmmm?"

Brazenly she pulled her tight top over her head and stepped forward in her bra as she unzipped her pants.

Blake for his part was transfixed by the sight of this gorgeous image stalking towards him as if a lioness towards her prey.

She first unclipped his weapon and hefted it in her arms. She turned and ran the bare skin of her back across his exposed forearm as she released the magazine and cleared the weapon; setting it carefully on the floor by bending straight over very provocatively.

Standing slowly she faced him and unclipped his equipment harness and leisurely walked around him as she pulled back the vest. Dropping it casually to the side she began to lightly kiss his neck as she unzipped his flight suit at an agonizing pace, following the parting zipper with tantalizing kisses and nibbles down his chest.

Dropping the suit she left him standing in his briefs and shirt with the garment pooled around his ankles and boots. She stepped several paces away and reached back unclasping her bra; letting it slide from her body revealing her full and very perky breasts. In a tantalizing display she proceeded to peel her remaining clothes from her shapely body and then stepped forward. As he attempted to reach out for her she sprung over his arms in a perfect hand spring evading his advance.

Barely keeping his balance he spun around to catching a glimpse of her naked back side as she swaggered into the shower. Before she entered she turned and with a smoldering and lustful look said,

"Perhaps you'd care to join me Captain? Give me a chance to reasses how attractive you are while I clean you up a bit…

**Later that night…**

Shego cuddled up to Ron in their room. They had been treated to a splendid banquet and both were very contented having gotten a chance to fill their hungry bellies, shower and change into clean clothes.

Shego marveled at how comfortable the dark green and black satin gi was as it hung loosely to her perfect curves. She certainly admired the way Ron's black and blue accented robes clung to his form.

He nuzzled her neck affectionately, "Shego, I was wondering if you're all good with everything…I know it's a lot to take in."

Smiling she replied, "Well I guess we can add Super Understatements to your list of powers!" in a more assuring tone she finished, "But yeah I'm starting to understand why you feel so strongly about this place and everyone in it. Yori turned out to be pretty cool after all. Oh and by the way it will be your 'honor' to tell me what the hell she meant about your 'American Style Humor'".

In a bid to change the subject he blew on her neck's sensitive spot as he reached over and caressed her breast…

"Shinnyuusha! Shinnyuusha! Shinnyuusha!" came the loud call from the front gate, soon accompanied by a clanging bell.

"What the hell is he yelling about!?!" came Shego's startled inquiry.

Ron answered as he leapt towards the door while conjuring the Lotus Blade to his hand, "I'm pretty sure he's saying 'intruder'!"

Just as he and Shego entered the courtyard they saw the screaming sentry cry out in pain. His yelp was cut short as he flew through the air and crumbled at their feet in a bloody mess.

As Ron knelt to find a pulse he heard Sensei approach and speak in a solemn tone,

"And so it begins…"

**A/N:** As you can tell we are rapidly approaching the end of our saga. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the characters and who you are more interested in seeing again, as I am beginning to outline my follow up stories. Should they survive the final battle, I really want to focus on the characters that you feel have shown the growth and development that you identify with the most. They're all running around in my head pretty clearly, I need to know what came out on the page to you the best.

And while I can't promise that some plot bunnies won't be shot on sight; I certainly welcome any and all ideas of unique "sitches" that you think would be cool for our merry band of misfits.

**Until next time….**


	11. Ch 11 End Game

**A/N: **All right I know this took a while to get out, and with that cliff hanger; I don't blame any of you for any burning crosses I found on my lawn. Between work and wanting to get this one just right, yada, yada, yada, you know how it goes.

Many of you have mentioned that I have been putting a lot of effort in keeping Shego true to her hard edge while allowing Ron not to lose his "Ron-shine' despite taking a darker tone. I appreciate you noticing, as it has been a harder balancing act than I foresaw. I hope to explore this more in the future (if they survive this chapter;-).

As always the fuel for the ol' writing engine is your reviews. So a big thanks out to: **Zaratan,** **Morcelu (**_especially for the extra encouragement_** Thoughts13, Dagda06117032, eoraptor, Cody Fett, zardoz101, QueenYuna (**_and her sister_**), ShegozStormyFan95, Painter AL and JPElles, **

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: You are reading a work of FAN FICTION. So it is required that I state the obvious. Kim Possible and other associated characters are NOT MINE. Blake, his team, Razan, Reaper and a few incidentals did however crawl out of my twisted grey matter. But hey they are still playing in Disney's world, I've just colored outside the lines a bit.

**The Blade and The Bloom**

**Chapter 11: End game**

"…and so it begins" Sensei's words had barely reached their ears when a much louder and disturbing noise assailed their hearing.

The steady sound of seemingly endless feet marching combined with an eerie deep throated screeching.

To simplify commands the Yamanouchi forces and Blake's team had decided to use the "clock method" when referencing where things were on the grounds. If you were to stand in the center of the school and look at the front gate you would be facing the 12'oclock position. Consequently if you were to turn around you would be facing the back wall or the 6'oclock position.

So as they all looked to their "3" and saw a sentry devoid of any facial color you could understand why his faculties seemed to have left him when he finally uttered one blood curdling shout.

"MONKEYS!"

With a few gestures Blake sent two team members to investigate while he came up to Sensei and the others.

"Perhaps we should establish the Command Center and get to our battle stations?" he stated evenly.

"Indeed. All warriors to arms!" Matsumaru shouted to the assembling ninjas.

With remarkable poise all occupants quickly armed themselves and moved efficiently to their pre-arranged defensive positions. Where the enemy had likely expected pandemonium to ensue given the late hour and surprise attack; only a crisp businesslike atmosphere of preparation enfolded.

As the combatants got to their positions the report from the wall could be heard over the speakers in the Command Center.

"Uh yeah, I think that kid needs to get some glasses or work on his understatements. Cause if those are monkeys I'm a little tea cup! Boss we got better than a full company of mutant…monkey looking things over here with what looks like hand weapons and a whole lot of bad attitude. Wait stand by…"

As they waited for more info Blake nodded to Matsumaru, "Their not going to hit from just one side; see if you can get a runner on the other walls to get ready to report."

"Why what are you going to do?" he was going to ask more before he was interrupted by the speakers again.

"Uh 6? Yeah there is some sort of huge Gorilla looking chick out here; don't ask me to elaborate, but it's pretty freaky and we have noted a few pockets of humans with rifles in the shadows and perimeter of the marching monkey things…yeah we could use some…_illumination_ if you know what I mean."

With a wry grin he responded to Matsumaru's question, "I'll tell you if this works…" he trailed off as he gave a few brief commands to Chad at the demo controls.

"Whhuuffumpphhh!" a low full sound like a large flame being fanned, resounded around the school. Followed quickly by a blinding amount of light coming from the outside.

Blake spoke in explanation to everyone's questioning glances, "Chad and a few of the boys snuck out just after sun down and set in some, uh…surprises. Because we didn't have much time to prepare and some of this stuff is still experimental I didn't mention it for fear of getting your hopes up."

Matsumaru stomped down his frustration at not being kept in the loop with the understanding that he would have done similar with an unproven tool. "So Captain, what is this…illumination?"

Chad butted in with obvious pride in his voice from a successful demonstration, "A series of powerful White Phosphorous cluster grenades spooled out for longer release and rigged to a remote ignition relay".

"And in English please," Kim muttered from the window where she was beginning to wish she had some sun glasses.

Brett stepped up at this point, "He's just using a little home cookin' and initiative to shed some light on the matter. Heh, Boss I'm gonna get on the roof to see if I can get a better picture of what's up before those puppies burn out."

"Sure thing, take a few of the boys with you." Turning to the others and gesturing that he wished to confer with them he summed up, "OK I assume from the profiles Yori and Kim gave me that our funky lady on the 3 wall is Gorilla Fist controlling her mutated monkey army that Yono and Monkey Fist have been training. So if their not there than where will they be attacking from…"

He was cut off by the sound of thunderous BOOMS that sounded as if they were ascending from the 9 o'clock position.

"That would be those to whom you inquire. I will take a few select students and engage this threat." Noted Sensei in an even yet deliberate voice that brokered no argument.

"Roger that. Would you like a few of my team to join you?"

"While your offer is greatly appreciated, I believe their particular talents will be required elsewhere." Sensei politely declined in his usual cryptic manner.

Yori stepped to her father's side and spoke firmly, "I shall fight by your side…"

Sensei cut her off with a light hug, "Daughter, I wish it were so that we may fight along side each other. However yours will be a different path today. You will have your chance to engage more than your share of our aggressors, but first your wisdom and _balance_" he emphasized that word specifically with a meaningful glance into her eyes, "will be required elsewhere. It is time to employ what you have learned in your trials for all that you hold dear's sake. Follow your heart and you will make me proud."

Sensei broke the embrace and as he departed gave Matsumaru a nod of encouragement.

Matsumaru nodded and addressed the situation, "Given their choice of soldiers perhaps they have chosen to fight honorably in one on one combat and your modern weapons will not be necess…."

"BOOOM!!...BOOOM!" he was cut off by a very 'modern' sounding explosives erupting in the training yard.

"Brett, I could sure use an update, what the hell is going on out there?" Blake inquired to his second in command.

"Uh, Boss I know you always stress being prepared for anything…but this is fucking ridiculous!"

"Interesting recon report, could you try something a little more helpful?"

"Sure, well at your 3 you have approximately 200 mutated monkey freaks and Triad gang bangers; they look like they marched down the mountain behind us and are forming up for a siege.

Coming up the cliff on your 9 and I do mean UP THE CLIFF is some glowing monkey with an attitude, a guy who looks like he's trying to be a monkey and another guy in a ninja suit hanging back a bit.

To your 6 about 150 meters up the cliff is the source of those booms. Get this, a golfer in a kilt who seems to be using balls that Chad would appreciate. He looks like he has some more of those thugs up there providing cover and taking pot shots into the courtyard."

As this commentary was being delivered in a disturbingly friendly and calm manner Matsumaru and Blake were rapidly dispatching runners and orders through other radios to deploy their forces appropriately.

Brett continued, "Oh and it would appear they have an air force as well! Yep 7…no make that 8 hover crafts just came into view. Their not that big, only about a three seater but they got some mean looking guns they look like their getting into position to employ and it appears the brain child behind this crew is a tall, mullet wearing 80's reject strumming an air guitar!

You know Boss I know we're good but this is getting just a bit weirder than I prefer."

"Copy that Brett. All bastards stand by. Primary shooters follow initial plan and augment your assigned ninja teams. They will be deploying to where ya'll are needed most. Angels 1 and 2 I need you to focus on their air assets…"

"BOOOM!...BOOOM!"

"…and would somebody put a frickin' bullet into the dude in the kilt!?!"

"Roger 6, angels engaging."

Soon after the distinct KABOOM! of a .50 caliber Barrett SASSER roared from the tower above them. In rapid succession several rounds followed in a couple different directions. Within moments Dan's voice came over the radio speaker,

"6? Angel 1. We seem to have a problem. They have some sort of energy shield over the aircraft and a small one around the explosive golfer. Our rounds are barely making a dent. I even switched to .50 cal SABOT rounds and it only moves the aircraft's flight path a bit. How do you want us to proceed?"

Blake's lips pressed into a grim line, "Roger that, keep any eye out for any change in their status. You are clear to engage all targets of opportunity in support of our forces, ensure you have at least a 15 meter clearance from friendlies. These guys haven't trained with us before and we want to leave them a wide berth for the big guns."

"Angels copy all"

"Yeah Angels this is 5. I think I have some work for you at our 7 o'clock just past the back wall. You won't believe what just came out of the waterfall!"

"5 this is 2 am I seeing things or did the monster from the black lagoon just join the party with some dudes in HAZMAT suits?"

"2 this is 6, my Intel has that as likely a mutated summer camper named Gill."

"Oh. Well that makes it all better then…"

Shego jumped up, "Those guys with him sound like Dr. Drakken's new underwater synthodrones." She seemed to be coming out of a bit of a funk as she absorbed all the talk about destinies and fates and now a bloody circus army threatening to kill her and the one she cared about, she went with what she knew…Offense.

"Listen you all can sit around here 'til their beating down the gate if you want to but I say screw that I'm gonna go do what I do best, with or without you Ron! I don't need a funky swords and ray beams out my ass to get the job done"

She bolted in a flash towards the back wall to let off some frustration on whoever was unfortunate enough to fall in her sights.

Turning back to the command center Blake was about to address the rooms occupants when the white phosphorous lighting seemed to fade out, pitching the grounds into a comparative black out as their eyes adjusted.

"All right there went our light show. Chad would you do the honors of introducing our unwelcome guests to the rest of our 'surprises'?"

With a wry grin Chad bypassed all the fancy looking little switches and knobs on his demo board and simply slammed the big one labeled "Master- DO NOT TOUCH."

KAABBOOOMM, BOOOM, BOOOM…_you get the picture_. A regular symphony of destructions ensued around the school as an intricate series of Claymore mines, 'Frankenstein' pop ups and other concoctions of Chad's devious little mind laid low the immediate enemy advance.

"Well that should give Shego and the rest of them a little breathing room to engage…"

Just as Blake was about to continue he was once again interrupted by a lighting change, this time it appeared to be a lightning storm!

"RON STOPPABLE!!! You will come to me or this girl will die!!!" came the maniacal screech of Electronique as she ascended the now almost forgotten front wall and stood above the primary gate. In her right hand she held up a small nearby village girl by the throat while her left hand unleashed torrents of electrical mayhem.

Ron was torn. Every part of him wanted to go be with Shego, have her back and hopefully get her to see reason as to why they were trying to plan out there attack. At a minimum he wanted to fight along side her as he felt his strongest with her.

Yet he couldn't let this small child suffer as a pawn in a savage game she wasn't even old enough to comprehend.

He made his decision rather quickly as he dashed towards the front gate.

Blake nodded to Matsumaru who quickly dispatched some ninjas to help Ron.

"5 and Angel 1 this is 6. Sparky is heading to the back to raise hell while Blue Boy is going to the front to Sparrow Hawk a hostage. Let's give them whatever cover we can manage. All other stations engage all targets at will. You are weapons free…God's speed boys."

Muttering a quick prayer under his breath Blake turned to Steve at the communications console. "Let's see if there is any sort of support we can muster up from US forces, GJ or Japanese agencies."

With a very forlorn look on his face Steve responded, "Yeah Boss about that…."

**Middleton, CO**

**Wade Load's Basement**

"DAMMIT!" cursed Wade with more vehemence than Bonnie had ever heard in his voice before.

Concerned she got up from Wade's back up terminal where she was learning some hacker's code program and put her hand on his shoulder, "What is it?"

Calmed slightly from her touch he took a deep breath, "Everything! Not only have I lost touch with Yamanouchi just as they were reporting some trouble, but now it's like every military and government computer on the grid just got knocked back to 1985."

Noting the questioning look on her face he tried to explain, "At the same time an attack started to unfold at the school a huge information dump was unleashed on the Net. Normally it could be filtered with little effort by the numerous servers around the world, but somehow this was targeted on every major player in the defense and political arena. All their main frames immediately shut down and are hiding behind their fire walls for fear of anything getting into their systems."

"So some one shut down the web?" she asked incredulously.

"No, that would be damn near impossible despite what Frugal Lucre threatened. In fact after his plea bargain, systems were installed to prevent just that. No this is will be a temporary problem, one day at the most. But long enough to tie up all the people who would be able to help our folks at Yamanouchi. If I can't figure something out quick, there's no way I can get help to them. And even if I could let the right people know, they'll be so tied up they wouldn't be able to scramble anything in time."

"We." She stated solemnly.

"Huh?"

"You said 'I' can't figure something out. That's my brother out there and WE're in this together. So tell me what I can do to help."

Smiling broadly at the determined look in her eye and the ferocity in her stance he could only say, "All right Bonnie, I think we're gonna have to go old school…"

**Japan  
Yamanouchi Ninja Academy**

_It is proceeding better than I could have hoped!_ thought Razan.

He had positioned himself on the other side of the ravine from the front gate, near the foot bridge. He had feared that irksome sentry had blown his plan initially, but fortune seemed to be shining on him. His quick dispatch of the guard and the timely arrival of Gorilla Fist and the others seemed to have kept the defenders too preoccupied to notice what the small band of villains were doing to his left.

The cannon was nothing to invoke fear in the hearts of men. It was rather blunt ended and looked more like an oversized transistor. But as he was all too aware, looks can certainly be deceiving. As Dr. Drakken hooked up the relays, Professor Dementor muttered to himself as he connected the retro fitted nuclear power cell.

Razan turned to the other villain watching at his side, "Aviarius it is time to do your part."

With trepidation in his step he shakily pulled the stone from his gold staff and approached the awkward machine. Looking to the scientists for guidance Dementor gestured the cradle for the stone near the pseudo barrel of the weapon.

With it in place, Drakken took the ungainly controls and sighted in the aiming mechanism at the school and waited.

Meanwhile at the school Ron approached Electonique warily. Trying to defuse the situation by staying very calm and hoping a solution would present itself he was surprised that she wasn't taking pot shots at the relatively easy target he was presenting.

"All right what do you say you put the cute kid down and we'll both go get a Big Gulp?" he joked remembering the big drink she was slurping last time they met.

"Why don't you get your bony little blonde ass up here and take her from me, hmmm?"

His senses were screaming at her odd baiting approach. It just seemed too calculating for the usually over the top villain. _Regardless, I've got to get that kid out of the cross fire._

Leaping up to the ledge above the front gate that Electroniqe was occupying he continued his calm approach. It was difficult with the battle rapidly growing in intensity throughout the courtyard. He could hear massive explosions mixed with gun fire and the clang of swords. It was a concerto of chaos to the trained ear, and bedlam to the casual observer. He strained to focus on the task at hand.

"No kidding Electronique, I can make this worth your while, just let the kid go and…"

"Enough talk, you know nothing!" she raged as she hurled a torrent of electrical energy at Ron.

He immediately placed his arms in a standard X block and blue mystical waves surged forth meeting the electricity half way. It quickly turned into a form of tug-o-war with each trying to either pull or push their end of the power lock to their advantage while balancing precariously on the ledge.

_Good she got away!_ Thought Ron as he noted the little girl slither out of the villain's grip while she was focusing on him.

Unfortunately this fixed and focused position was exactly what Razan had been counting on. Giving the signal to the mad scientists behind the mini-canon a muffled, whirling sound could be heard as the machine powered up and discharged a brilliant rainbow colored beam.

It arched across the ravine and landed squarely on Ron's unsuspecting form giving Electronique the upper hand. Suddenly he found himself being riddled with electricity as he was suspended in air by the mysterious kaleidoscope of forces engulfing him. It felt as if every bit of his powers and will was being sucked out of him.

In essence…they were.

Suddenly two shurkin knives pierced Electronique's throat and she fell over the ledge in hail of static charged light and blood. The whirlwind of rainbow slacking and the electricity gone Ron began to plummet back into the courtyard, but not before he could catch a glimpse of a blue orb leaving his body and tracking back across the ravine towards the weird cannon.

His bone crushing fall was halted by two pairs of feminine hands. Yori quickly assessed him as Kim yelled, "Ron are you OK!?! What were you thinking!?!"

Ron wearily rose out of their grasp and spoke tentatively, "Uh KP, could we save the lecture. I think we have bigger problems." Noting their questioning glances he tried to summon the Blade or use his MMP before he answered, "I think they just stole my powers…"

Before they could respond a panicked voice called out from the "9" wall to their left. A desperate looking young ninja ran up to them yelling "Yori-Sensei, Yori-Sensei! You must come quickly! Master Sensei has fallen!"

Despite the feeling of utter exhaustion Ron mustered the strength to match her pace as Yori bolted to her father with Kim close in trail.

The scene as they rounded the corner of the far out building was utter devastation. A large chunk of the perimeter wall was reduced to rubble with a portion of the grounds exposed to the open cliff face. Randomly thrown about were the bodies of ninjas, growing thicker near a large crater not far from the breached wall.

The area reeked of ozone and what smelt like sulfur flowing from the still smoking ruins of this part of the school. Their footing was precarious as the usually manicured lawns appeared to have been seared into glass rent even more slippery by the rapidly expanding pools of blood. The trio raced to the crater's edge terrified of what they would find.

At the bottom were two bodies, seemingly charred from the bristling energy that seemed to be ebbing from them both. Sensei was laid out beside Yono the Destroyer. The deceptively small monkey had a gaping hole in his chest and in the sizzled hands of Sensei was a still beating heart.

Kim, Ron and Yori dove down the craters embankment and came to Sensei's side. To all their surprise he addressed Kim first, thrusting the throbbing heart into her hands.

"Possible-san, take this and go! It will beat for as long as this vile creature can call on his dark energy. Go to my dojo and ask for Alexandria, she will be expecting you."

Knowing that time was short and the situation desperate she wisely recognized when not to argue or ask questions. She simply stood, gave Sensei a warm look and turned to do as instructed.

"Father we need to get you help…"

Sensei began to cough up blood, "We knew this was coming, my time is it hand. Please come with me on one last lesson." He rapidly grasped both Ron and Yori's hands and a bolt of golden energy engulfed all three.

Instantly they found themselves near the pinnacle of Mt. Yamanouchi. Below them they could see the battle continue to rage. The two younger warriors simply looked to their teacher with a worried glance.

"You will be returned to whence you came as if no time has passed. This is one of the most difficult skills I have developed and will likely drain the last of my life force, we have little time.

Ron, you are correct in your assessment that your powers have been stolen. Worry not. The Mystical Monkey Powers never defined you as a hero. It was your virtue and character that led the fates to choose you and are what will deliver you from this despair. You must abolish all doubt and insecurity and trust implicitly in the balance of The Blade and The Bloom.

Monkey Fist and Fukushima retreated before I could eliminate them, I do not foresee their interference tonight, but be wary. Razan is the key, pool your minds and the answer will present itself.

Daughter the school and its legacy are now yours; everything you need to be victorious is here" he shakily pointed to her mind and heart, "you will make me proud".

As he the Martial Master, bornToshimuru two millennia ago and known to our world as Sensei faded into oblivion he rested comfortably in the embrace of his two finest students.

The world around them began to fade from their mountain top perch back to the chaos of the courtyard. Throughout their gazes were locked as the plan for victory enfolded before their eyes as they communicated telepathically for the first time.

With out a word spoken aloud they stood in the still smoking crater, Ron hefted Sensei's broken body in his arms and headed towards the Dojo as Yori shot like a bolt towards the back wall.

In unison they thought, _I WILL make my actions worthy of his sacrifice_.

Meanwhile not far away the hovercrafts were cornering a small group of fighters with laser fire. Steve, Chad and a handful of ninja were fighting for their lives when Steve felt something scurry up his leg and then something scratch lightly at his ear.

"What the hell!?! Oh it's you, Rufus right?" the large man said annoyed as he continued to engage the swooping aerial vehicles. Rufus began gesturing wildly and screaming as clearly as he could, "ME, UP! ME UP!"

"Hey buddy, if you couldn't tell we're a bit busy right… what you want to go up there!?!" Quickly deciphering what the little mole rat garbed in a little gi and holding a small sword was indicating. The odd sight reminded him of Ron saying something about there being more to the little guy than met the eye.

Deciding they could use all the help they could get, "Oh why the hell not. OK get in my hand here and on the next pass I'll toss you on up. Maybe a slow moving mass will get by where our bullets won't."

Timing it just right Steve put everything he had into tossing Rufus at the hovercraft that seemed to be the leader.

A high pitched battle cry could be heard as Rufus sailed through the air, passing through the energy field and landing gracefully on the dash board."

"What the!?! Dude! That is seriously wrong! What the hell are you supposed to be, seriously!?!" cried Motor Ed in his trade mark eloquence.

He got his answer in short order as Rufus sprung forward in a flurry of blue tinged wrath.

Before the driver and gunner knew what happened their mullet wearing leader was bleeding from numerous slashes across the throat and eyes as he plunged off the back of the craft. In short order they were treated similarly as Rufus tripped the switch for the shields.

Counting on the inbound bullets to blow the craft Rufus hurled himself up and away towards the closest hovercraft utilizing the explosion to aid his flight.

It worked. As Rufus single-handedly brought down the air threat with a dazzling display of martial prowess and acrobatics; his legend was formed in the eyes of the awe struck ninjas below.

From a nearby vantage his display did not go unnoticed by Angels 1 and 2.

"Dan remind me never to piss off that little rodent."

"Sure thing Whiskey, you mind popping some popcorn for us while you're watching the show or do you want to do something about that damn golfer?

"Sure thing. In fact the little guy just gave me an idea."

He had been trying in vain to penetrate Duff's energy field for some time, even tried shooting the little portable generator to turn it off. But after witnessing how Rufus got by the shields he tried a different tact. Firing at the rocks just above the power source he began trying to get the larger ones to roll in the right angle towards the enemy position.

After a few shots he finally got it as a decent sized rock crushed the generator. He rapidly adjusted the aim of his M-40 sniper rifle.

He didn't try for the typical head shot as Duff teed up. Nope his shot caught the world's deadliest golfer on his back swing. The .308 caliber round pierced clean through his right elbow essentially amputating it and causing the armed ball to putter a few feet away into the midst of all the enemy on the ledge.

The resulting blast was satisfying to say the least, and Whiskey just couldn't resist the cheesy line,

"Now that's a hole in one!"

Suddenly feeling Dan jumping on top of his back he started to say, "Dude I know it was a good shot but…"

SHWHOOMP-BAAAMM!!! His world was rocked as the blast from a Rocket Propelled Grenade engulfed the room.

At the far corner of the courtyard Blake had seen the fine sharp shooting at Duff's position and was just preparing to congratulate his snipers when he saw the rocket sail up from beyond the "3" wall and assail the tower.

The words that came over his ear piece next damn near broke his heart,

"6 this is 2. Angel 1 is down, he saved me but I'm still hit. This place is crumbling…oh this gonna suck."

Blake was already racing towards the temple as it came crashing down. "5 I need help at the temple, NOW."

As Blake sped off to the temple, Matsumaru circled around to the "3" wall where the rocket came from. He sought Hirotaka who was in charge of this flank's defense.

Hirotaka was immersed in a pitched battle with no less than three mutated monkeys as the entire position was being over ran. Matsumaru quickly dispatched a runner to get re-enforcements but feared they would come too late.

For as far as the light from the fires would reveal the din of battle could be perceived. The entire "3" side of the school was crumbling and everywhere ninjas were engaged in combat with hideously deformed monkeys and human gang members slinging swords and bullets respectively. A mist had formed low above them all as the heat of their exertions and overall will to prevail could be almost palpated.

Keeping with the plan should the walls be penetrated he called out for all Yamanouchi forces to fall back to the temple. It was originally planned to use its elevation as a last stand or an "Alamo" as the Americans had called it.

Now they would just have to make do with the what ever cover its rubble would provide.

Matsumaru attempted to wade his way into the fray to assist in the withdrawal, when his senses told him to dive forward. In doing so he only narrowly avoided a string of gunfire from a Triad member firing a machine gun just up the hill from them.

Unfortunately Hirotaka had been too engaged to heed such warning and had been pierced in the leg and arm. He gallantly continued his battle with the trio of monsters, dispatching two of them with sheer determination and will. But the final one brought him down by the sword with a slash across the chest.

Matsuamru flew towards his comrade, decapitating the mutant with a downward swing as he crouched beside the fallen warrior.

"Your death will be avenged and honored my friend." He vowed as he stood and began slashing his way back towards the school cutting a savage swath across the advancing front, thus buying the beleaguered ninjas a brief respite as they withdrew to the temple.

The defenders of Yamanouchi had begun their last stand at the ruins of the temple.

Whiskey had been found in the rubble, alive but in bad shape. Kim had linked up with Blake and they had begun to organize a stiff resistance. The large stones of the fallen temple provided excellent firing points and even the sword fighter were able to utilize the irregular terrain to their advantage.

Matsuamru finally working his way back to the newly improvised command post at the center of the destroyed building and began to asses the scene. A young ninja approached him and Blake as they were planning with a report.

"The attack from the waterfall has been thwarted; the green fire woman fought like a demon and Yori-Sensei disappeared with her soon after the fish man was killed. The hill top and sky attacks are gone but the perimeter has been breached in several points and we are being surrounded!"

Calmly Blake interrupted the man, striking an over the top bravado voice similar to John Wayne to lighten the mood "Good! We got em' right where we want em, pilgrim!"

The combatants around him couldn't help but chuckle and be inspired by the false gusto and frankly it was the best thing for the situation.

Just as Kim was marveling at how he could think of the right words at a time like this, she caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye.

Ron had managed to reach the Lotus Blade and was fighting about a half dozen mutant monkey ninjas in the opening near the front gate. With out the infused Mystical Monkey Power he was doing surprisingly well considering. Just as she was grabbing some people to help her get to him, her heart went into her throat.

Ron fell…hard.

Oddly enough the ninjas did not finish him as he struggled to his feet. They simply grabbed the Lotus Blade, bound Ron and flung him over their shoulder as they retreated across the rope bridge.

Kim lost it and was instantly up racing towards the gate firing indiscriminately at anyone in her way on full auto. Blake barely caught up to her in time before she was cut off from the rest of them and pulled her kicking and screaming back to friendly lines.

"KIM! I need you to help me lead here. Too many are dead and the remaining defenders need THE KIM POSSIBLE, the girl who can do ANYTHING to help get them through! We will find a way to get Ron back, but right now we need you to lead with your head and fight with all your heart; not the other way around."

**Middleton, CO**

**The top floor of Rockwaller Industries Corporate Office**

Bonnie hadn't been to this place in over six years. She had avoided any involvement with her father or his business to escape the ire of her sisters and mother. As part of her persona it was necessary to distance her self from any semblance of attachment or emotion.

She wasn't surprised by the cool reception she received from her father's secretary. Bonnie had been a regular bitch to her every time she had seen her at a company function at the house.

_I guess I have a lot to change if anyone is ever going to take me serious…_ the young brunette thought to her self as she was finally ushered into the CEO's office.

"Bonnie! This is a surprise. I know all of your credit cards are paid off, so to what do I owe the honor?" came a cautious call from the man behind the ornate desk by the picture window.

Biting her lip and steeling herself for what she was going to say next she walked slowly towards the man that she had treated so poorly, "Daddy, I know I deserved that. I don't want any money or anything from you for me. It's about Blake…"

Seeing that she had his attention she came up to the desk, "He is in some serious trouble, and he doesn't have the time for me to explain everything. If we are going to help save him and a lot of other people you're going to have to do something I have no right to ask you to do."

Warily the enterprising mogul leaned forward and asked, "And what is that?"

"I need you to trust me."

**Mt Yamanouchi, Japan**

**Across the rope bridge from the school**

The bloody and beaten lump of humanity before him did not impress him much. The matted and dirty blonde hair seemed to frame a face unworthy of any respect for the trouble he had caused him.

Somehow he had expected…no, _needed_ more from this final moment.

After his minions had strapped the young man down prostrate across a low table for him, he finally addressed the source of his dismay. He paid no heed to the raging battle not far away, his victory was here and his time was now.

"Ronald Stoppable, the latest incarnation of the Blade. I must say I had hopes for how does your generation put it…'more juice'?"

Ron for his part was remarkably calm. Cracking a grim grin, he turned his head as he could and retorted, "Yeah if you think I disappointed you, you should talk to my high school guidance counselor. But please continue your monologue; I'm sure your tale is just…riveting."

His sarcasm did not go unnoticed. The savage kick to his face from Razan spoke volumes as to his displeasure.

"You are right, there is no need to regale you with the details of my triumph. All that need be said is that this is but the beginning."

He picked up the Lotus Blade and approached the cannon that had ravaged Ron earlier.

Thrusting his hand into a small port near the storage bank, a loud hum began to reverberate through the area. Just underneath the din you could barely make out Razan chanting in some long dead language.

Suddenly a brilliant blue light engulfed the whole ridge and rapidly resolved around Razan. He radiated a luminous red, then blue and finally settled into a menacing dark, swirling crimson and purple that crackled energy about him.

He flexed his hands as he became accustomed to the newly surged power and began to stalk back towards Ron. In the interest of gauging his new found supremacy he casually pointed at Aviarius.

"You have supplied me with what I needed, and your twisted ridiculous form only serves to annoy me now." The pleading look on the bird man only fueled his desire to dominate,

As if he was simply throwing out a used soda can, he crushed Aviarius' scrawny neck and hurled him over the canyon. In mid flight he shot a beam from the Blade incinerating the flailing, feathered body like he was skeet shooting.

Ron couldn't suppress a slight gasp at the sight of Razan as he infused his millennia of dark power with his own Mystical Monkey Power and began to swing the Lotus Blade languidly.

"You are right to fear me young one. I am the culmination of all that your feeble fool of a Sensei could only have hoped to achieve. Soon I will have the Bloom and your _woman_ and my conquest shall begin!"

At the base of his skull, the one he absentmindedly noted he was about to be separated from, Ron felt a distinctive tingle. With a smug look of satisfaction, Ron began to chuckle. Not a jittery giggle, but rather a deep throated laugh of someone who felt he owned the situation.

This of course was not something Razan had expected and he couldn't help but inquire, "Why do you jest as your doom enfolds? Are you mad!?!"

"I was just thinking of a song" declared Ron as his laughter died down a bit.

Deciding that he could afford to savor this moment he stated haughtily, "I'll humor you, since you have played into my plans so nicely…what song?"

"Well I kind of tweaked it for the situation, so let me get his right…" clearing his throat dramatically as if he were on the stage at the opera,

"My girlfriends back…"

Suddenly from across the ravine a blaze of emerald fire shot through the sky and arched a flame of brilliant light across to their position. Her visage was something out of tribal lore, as plasma flamed from her feet and hands and mystical energy blazed from her eyes as she wielded the ornate katana sword with obvious menace.

"…and your gonna be in trouble…"

Trying to curtail the disaster in progress, Razan rapidly slashed the Lotus Blade down at Ron's neck.

His progress was halted only millimeters from Ron's still singing neck by a projected field of energy that quickly coalesced into the form of a Lotus Bloom.

Shego then focussed as she pointed her sword and a glittering green beam emminated at the canon where the crystal within burst and exploded it's vessel.

Silently she gestured to the large energy signature of the flower around Ron, it sprung forward wrapping around Razan who though struggling was powerless as it pulled a distinct blue surge from his body and deposited into Ron's form.

Ron's eyes flamed blue as he burst his restraints,

"Hey, la, Hey, la…"

Smiling a feral grin he called the Lotus Blade to his grasp,

"…my girlfriend's back!"

With a swiftness and savagery that brought to mind a shark's feeding frenzy both The Blade and The Bloom descended upon Razan. Slashing his limbs from his body and beheading him last; a flurry of green and blue energy scorched his remains to dust and cast the ashes to the wind.

After they had secured the cowering forms of Dementor and Drakken, who were both borderline catatonic after what they had just witnessed, Ron took in the sight before him.

Shego had let her newly found powers ebb a bit, yet she still radiated a jade glow as the cool night breeze dissipated the heat from her body. Her eyes smoldered a confidence that he had never seen before as she walked up to him.

After a moment of taking each other in she spoke, "Listen, I have never put much stake by the whole relationship thing, but after this; you better be for real."

Noting the vulnerable undertone of the thinly veiled threat he embraced her and spoke softly into her ear, "I never wanted to be The Blade, but I can definitely see going the distance with you as my Bloom."

After a rather heated kiss and a reassuring embrace, Shego sniffed back a tear and stated in a more familiar tone, "All right goof ball, enough Hallmark crap, what do you want to do with these two?"

Looking over to the two subdued mad scientists he surveyed the raging battle across the ravine with some trepidation, "Frankly they'll keep; I think they need us over there a lot more…"

Shego smiled a knowing grin and laid an encouraging hand on his shoulder, "Trust me Yori has that covered…"

**The vault within Sensei's Dojo**

Had there not been a thunderous battle raging; the combatants would likely have been puzzled by the strange noises issuing forth from the back of the small dojo. The only visible occupant was the hastily placed body of the school's original Sensei in front of the now empty Lotus shrine.

No one however could miss the seismic BOOM that burst forth from the splintering doors as Yori nearly flew forward with the most unlikely team at her back.

Coming to a light combative stance to the rear of the dark army that surrounded her friends her appearance would be noted in the chronicles of martial history. The traditional armor borne of her trials radiated golden aura that pierced the moonless night. Her poise was almost regal as she almost casually hefted her dual blades. She casually addressed the hordes.

"You are my in MY school, and I kindly ask you to leave now…" her words were not yelled but their menace and power reverberated through every enemy's chest as if they had been blown from the trumpet of a rampaging elephant.

As if that wasn't unnerving enough, the 13 spectral warriors that presented arms at her command would have stricken terror into the heartiest of souls. As the new Sensei of Yamanouchi she was now their leader and with a minute gesture of her head they rallied to her side as she began to blaze a bloody swath through the now panicking enemy.

As the pandemonium ensued, Blake devised a strategy to capitalize on the turn of events. Briefing his team as they adjusted fire, the small band of Bastards appeared to be fleeing from the melee.

This did not go unnoticed by the last leader of the enemy on the field and Gorilla Fist moved to intercept.

"Even if we don't get that silly blade, my Monty will love me for sure if I bring him Kim Possible's head" she muttered to herself as she redirected several mutated monkey monsters towards her new goal.

Spreading the battle throughout the school yard it became a basic free-for-all with one stiff pocket of fighting in the back corner as the tiny band of Bastards were apparently trapped and fighting for all they were worth.

Several had fallen with injuries as each team member instantly moved to cover their fallen brethren's sector of fire. Rapidly switching spent magazine's Kim noted the subtle hand signal from Blake. Swiftly she stood and bound forward while firing on the attackers closest to the large Gorilla woman.

"Hey Amy! Get with the times; the cuddle buddy craze is over. But step on out for a fair fight and maybe I can stuff and sell your furry ass as a collectible!"

"OH you rotten little girl! I'm gonna crush you and splice your bony butt with a crocodile!"

Capitalizing on the distraction as planned; Brian leapt out from his hiding place under some near by rubble and grabbed the large woman's utility belt. Before she knew what happened he had found what he was looking for and crushed the electronic device within.

Instantly all the mutated monkey ninjas that had been fighting so savagely simply stood wide eyed for a moment. They seemed to take in their surroundings and then en masse leapt to the surrounding jungle with a very loud commotion of screeches and howls.

The resulting silence was broken as Gorilla Fist brutally back handed Brian with her massive fist, hurling him into a nearby pile of rubble and began pouncing towards the broken young trooper. Kim acted on instinct, firing repeatedly into the beast woman until she stopped moving.

As Kim closed to check on the fallen man, she remembered the lesson from Blake in the hills and pulled her pistol just as she came abreast of the downed form of Gorilla Fist. Sure enough a large paw struck out for them both with a bestial roar…silenced by one loud shot to the head by a surprisingly calm Kim Possible.

Blake and his team were with them in an instant and Rudy began working on Brian. It was readily apparent that his efforts would be in vain as a piece of rebar had impaled the man near his heart.

Though he was loathe to admit it, the experienced medic knew when a fight was lost and supplied his friend with enough analgesic to make his death painless. Turning to Blake with a determined face he spoke quietly.

"Boss, I think I should get back to Whiskey. If we can somehow get some help up here I think I can save him and a hand full of others."

Nodding grimly Blake responded, "Brett take Reubens and Steve and back him up, there's not much left of a fight here but I don't want any surprises."

Brett shuffled his feet a bit and told him quitely, "Boss, Reubens got tagged back in the corner there. Monkey got him in the throat; I'll take Dark Elk and go though."

Nodding as his teammates set to work, Blake surveyed the carnage. Oddly he noticed a bird chirping in the back ground and sure enough he could perceive the faint outline in the east of a rapidly approaching dawn.

Kim silently wrapped a supportive arm around his waist and wisely said nothing.

They watched quietly as Yori's team cleaned up the remaining opposition. Kim's heart leapt as she saw Ron and Shego return with a bound pair of villains. She resisted the urge to run and check on him as he rapidly set to healing Whiskey and various ninja with the Lotus Blade.

After some time Blake spoke, "So many dead and wounded..."

As if on cue he was interrupted with a BEEP, BEEP, DA, BEEP!

Kim looked startled at her wrist watch Kimmunicator.

"WADE! You got through!"

A relieved young genius replied on the screen, "Yeah, couldn't have done it without Bonnie though" noting the quizzical look on her face he continued, "I'll fill you in later. I have a flight of Osprey's in route to you now, ETA 15 minutes. They'll have troops for clean up and plenty of medics and supplies. I'm guessing we're a little late for the party though, huh?"

Noting his despondent tone, Blake leaned into view and said re-assuringly, "We can use all the help we can get rounding up the critters and such. Thanks, and let Bonnie know I'm proud of her for whatever hand she had to play in this."

Some time later most everyone was lounging outside the main hall as they recuperated.

Professor Dementor and Dr. Drakken were under guard as Kim spoke with Ron and Shego near their improvised cell.

"What are we going to do with these two?" asked Kim with genuine concern.

Ron pointed out a disturbing fact, "After this they're pretty much the last two remaining 'super villains'. I'm fairly sure ol' Monty is out of the game for a long while after Sensei put the smack down last night".

"I say kill em." Noting the surprised look on their faces Shego explained, "with those two gone, you guys are pretty much out of a job. Ron and I can go on an extended vacation and Kim; you can shack with soldier boy and have a litter of puppies. If not you know Global Justice will just lose them in no time. Seems like simple math to me."

Ron knew that she was being overly cool in hopes of unnerving Drakken who was certainly listening; all the same he offered in a cool tone, "Let's just keep them on ice for awhile, Wade says he has a plan that should take care of things. If we don't like what he has to say, we can always try that tag team approach we used on Razan, what do you say honey?"

As they walked away an audible "GULP" could be heard from the two villains and Kim had to ask, "Do I even want to know?"

"About what Pumpkin?" Shego toyed with an utterly innocent tone. Smiling she added, "Nothing to worry your pretty little head over, let's get back to the others."

As they approached Yori was standing on the podium at the center of the courtyard and the surviving defenders of the Battle of Yamanouchi gathered around to hear what she had to say.

"Today a page in the chronicles of this school has been turned and a new page has been written. All of you fought gallantly in the face of an over whelming evil and were victorious! For your efforts this school owes you greatly.

But our triumph comes at a heavy price. Many students, alumni and allies from across the sea have fallen in the name of our home and they will be missed, remembered but NOT MOURNED!

Their sacrifices and lives will be celebrated! We will not sully their efforts with pity or grief; they chose to risk their lives in a cause greater than them selves and it was their honor to die defending that which they believed in.

Today will be a day of recovery as we put together the pieces of our home and rally together in support.

Tomorrow we will lay our departed to rest and commemorate their valiant efforts with a festival in their honor.

After that we will return to our duties and forge forward into the future ensuring that none of them died in vain.

**To Be Concluded…**

**A/N:**_ If a few things don't seem fully explained at the end of this chapter, I assure you I am already well into finishing the epilogue. Many of the finer details I felt would get in the way of the flow of the battle shall be clarified, so please be patient._


	12. Ch 12 Epilogue

**A/N: **It's been a helluva ride. I want to thank all of you that took the time to review and especially for the extra help in assisting me in developing as a writer. As this is my first novel length story and first real attempt at putting anything other than poetry out there for others to see, I thank you as well for your patience and encouragement.

And a big thanks out to all of you who reviewed the last chapter (I know I didn't leave ya'll much time between posts): **Morcelu,Thoughts13, reddragonn343, Dagda06117032, eoraptor, trekkifulron, Cody Fett , bigmark2005, Limby, zardoz101, bigmark2005.**

**Obligatory Disclaimer**: You are reading a work of FAN FICTION. So it is required that I state the obvious. Kim Possible and other associated characters are NOT MINE. Blake, his team, Razan, Reaper and a few incidentals did however crawl out of my twisted grey matter. But hey they are still playing in Disney's world, I've just colored outside the lines a bit.

**The Blade and The Bloom**

**Chapter 12: Epilogue**

Considering the short notice and the overall digital and literal havoc that Razan's attack reeked on the world, it was more than a little surprising to see so many people show up for the funeral of Sensei and the Defenders of Yamanouchi.

With Rockwaller Industries rapid intervention on 'behalf' of the US Government the impact to world markets and governments was minimal. Wade's ability to convert old Morse code into a sound recognition system that conveyed enough code to combat the information dump didn't hurt either, but as usual he let others step out into the lime light.

As he felt Bonnie deserved to. Her actions to convince her father to shut down all activities and turn over control of his substantial main frame to a stranger rated more recognition than she was likely to receive.

Regardless he knew that today was about good-bye and was happy that Bonnie was by his side as he stepped off the hovercraft at the school he had only seen in footage before.

His primary objective was to bid farewell to the man that had quietly given him encouragement and guidance for longer than he remembered. In hindsight it really wasn't surprising that it had been Sensei that suggested he contact a young pre-teen heroine who could use some technical support all those years ago.

He also was here to take custody of two "John Does". With Professor Dementor and Dr. Drakken both in a general catatonic state, Global Justice was more than willing to listen to his suggestion for their internment. Especially when it was subtly pointed out that their record in holding either criminal was 47 hours straight.

It had been quietly agreed that both criminals would be reported dead along with the rest of the bad guys destroyed in the Battle of Yamanouchi. Wade would install a simple tracking "leash" at the base of both of their skulls, which incidentally had a small explosive within it. The transmitter was coded to his biometric readings. The plan worked well for several reasons.

With escape no longer an issue the focus would be to get them the psychiatric help they needed, starting with helping them out of their post traumatic fog. Wade had a theory on their rehabilitation as well.

As he was starting a long term partnership with Rockwaller Industries to lead up a new research department he would employ both "mad scientists" on "retainer" for their contributions towards scientific and humanitarian advances. Initially all proceeds of their inventions would support the victims of all their crimes. His guess was that if they could still actively explore science instead of languish in a prison, maybe everyone could win.

He hoped that the fact that both of them were "dead" to the world and no one was coming for them could be left to their imaginations and not require elaboration or enforcement.

The added benefit of course to them disappearing was the deterrent effect that the underground rumor mill would start, "No one who attacks Yamanouchi ever survived." Like he told Yori as long as word was starting to get out about the "secret" ninja school; it might as well come with some solid street cred.

Not that it was apparently needed. From the looks of the list of dignitaries, heads of states and power players that were present to pay their final respects to Sensei, the clout of the school was far more reaching than even Yori realized.

Alexandria had given her a compressed class on what and who to expect but assured her that the full scope of Yamanouchi's influence would take some time to comprehend. As the Japanese Prime Minister bowed to _her_, as the new leader of the school; she was beginning to appreciate her "sister's" gift for understatement.

Throughout it all a small group of supporters had not left her side. Ever present was Matsumaru as the schools lead military advisor and her second in command ensured only matters worthy of her time were presented to her.

A more and more common sight was Rufus on her right shoulder as well. After Ron had called for him yesterday and the naked mole rat had chosen to stay with Yori as she mourned in private; Ron had respectfully understood.

He knew that this was the destiny his little buddy had been growing towards. And while none of them knew exactly what "this" was, Rufus' place was certainly ensured here at the school. Besides the legend of the "mystical, martial, mole rat" had rapidly spread from the witnesses of his decimation of the aerial threat in the battle.

Shego and Ron had been inseparable since the battle. But rarely had they strayed but a stone throw from Yori. Intuitively understanding she could use the support but also as a form of cementing the odd little family that seemed to have been formed on this mountain courtyard.

Shego had uncharacteristically been adamant that she would not leave Yori or miss the funeral. Regardless that law enforcement agencies from around the world would be present.

"I'll handle that as it comes. But if it hadn't been for you pointing out to me that I needed to get over myself and accept the Bloom to save Ron; well let's just say I want to get to know the woman who could get through my hard head."

Yori was grateful for the support of her unlikely new friend. It was after the main procession had passed and everyone was starting to get ready for the ceremony that her new emerald colored friend pulled her to the side.

"Yori, I saw a shadow lurking in the corners and sure enough I managed to track it down…"

"Shego-san, do we have an intruder, I can signal…"

Placing a re-assuring hand on her arm she calmly explained, "No, No; nothing like that. I just know that this guy would have lurked out on the fringe and never properly introduced himself to you."

"Oh. I presume from your familiar tone that this is a friend of yours. To whom do I have the honor of meeting?" she asked more inquisitively as she surveyed the stocky form subdued in the shadows behind Shego. Something about his presence stuck her as familiar and…enticing.

"Oh, nobody important darlin'" came a gravelly voice as he stepped into the light and let his eyes pierce into her, "Sort of a friend of the family if you will. Master Sensei helped me uh, find my center so to speak many moons ago. Also taught me a trick or two that have come in handy. He was a helluva man, your daddy. Best I known."

His lopsided grin and deliberate appraisal of her as he took in her lithe form with his penetrating eyes stirred something in her she was not in the right frame of mind to accurately assess. All the same she had to ask, "You seem to know who I am, what shall I call you?"

"Heh, funny thing, I've had lots a names, been called several you wouldn't want to repeat either," he stated with a chuckle as she grinned. He seemed to recognize that on a solemn day like this when every one was saying "sorry" what she really needed was a smile.

"But I suppose you can call me Logan."

The ceremony occurred a little while later at the now filled crater where Sensei had battled Yono. The remaining perimeter wall had been demolished and pushed over the cliff. This afforded all gathered a spectacular view of the surrounding country side.

The area had been cleaned out of most traces of the carnage that had unfolded here and now was situated as a very fitting spot for a final farewell. Chairs had been set up in a semi circle around an open dais near the edge of the exposed cliff.

As the final guests were seated a small gasp was heard from the few of them unaccustomed to the stealth of Ninjitsu. Without a sound over two hundred black garbed students and alumni of Yamanouchi entered and surrounded the proceedings. If you had blinked you likely would have missed the most telling testament to the teachings of their Sensei as they stoically encircled the grounds to wish their Master a fair journey.

Many of them were carrying identical black and silver urns that had small names inscribed on them. To each of these Ninjas right stood a person with a long and sturdy, red candle.

Next came a surprising addition to the ceremony as the seven remaining members of "Blake's Bastards" marched forward in full ceremonial dress blue uniforms, representing all four of the US military services. With remarkable precision they drill stepped up the center column and executed crisp facing movements as they took a guard detail rank to the right of the dais exactly 30 feet away from the main body of the ceremony.

Next came the procession with Sensei upon a bamboo pyre. He was carried by five honored warriors. Yori at the right side of the head who was decked out in the elaborate mural gi that she was bestowed upon the completion of her earlier trials. Her katana was slung with care upon her hip.

Rufus road upon her shoulder in a ceremonial gray and black gi and his small katana road upon his back in a sheath recently built for him. In his paw he held a beautifully crafted arrow, notched with four eagle feathers and tipped with a very large, hollow arrow head.

Matsumaru walked with precise discipline and was regaled in black and crimson robes befitting his stature and position. He walked with quiet dignity and was the embodiment of Japanese martial poise. Upon his back was an intricately carved bow.

Ron and Shego were directly behind them both in almost matching robes. Both had the symbol of the Lotus upon their backs with an intricate pattern flowing upon the arms and legs. But where Ron's was a deep ocean blue in color Shego's was of course a brilliant jade in aspect. Both wore their perspective blades with humility and respect.

Behind Shego walked Kim Possible in a flowing set of midnight hued robes that were adorned with the mark of the tiger across the shoulders and left breast in gold.

The final position at the back left was left unmanned. It was a tribute to those that had sacrificed their lives so that this ceremony could come to pass.

As they arrived at the dais and laid the pyre down, Kim moved to a nearby seat as Ron and Shego walked back down the central path and stood at the entrance to the gathering. This left Matsumaru and Yori with Rufus on her shoulder at the head of their beloved teacher.

Yori cleared her throat and stepped forward in a manner more akin to a discussion among friends than speaking out to a crowd. Regardless every person present could hear her every note as if it was spoken directly into their mind.

"Fellow Yamanouchi family, friends and warriors; we are here today to not only say safe journey to our teacher and mentor but to those that sacrificed their lives for something they believed in. Before we begin I want to pay tribute to their actions and allow their spirits to join us with proper dignity."

With that Ron and Shego unsheathed and ignited The Blade and The Bloom with an extravagant flourish of sapphire and emerald fire. They then split up and walked around the seated guests along the line of Ninjas holding the urns and candles.

With measured steps they turned to each urn and bowed then rose and lit the adjacent candle with their mystical blade. They continued this along the flanks until they met Yori at the front, standing solemnly behind her near the cliff's edge. They did not however extinguish their flames.

Yori continued reverently, "At the conclusion of this ceremony these urns will be placed at the base of the Toshimuru statue. There a vigil will be stood by these candles until an appropriate shrine can be built on the grounds. I ask that you all pay your respects before you depart for their honorable service.

Master Sensei as most knew him was a well traveled man who had fastidiously studied the warrior spirit and culture all over the world. He understood that the heart of a warrior super seeded race, creed or other barriers that others shackle themselves with. With this in mind many of the traditional Japanese funeral rites will be foregone as we acknowledge several that he had mentioned with respect.

In closing I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate the passing of our teacher, the master of Yamanouchi…my father. May his next journey be even more amazing than this one."

With that Yori turned to the funeral pyre and whispered her final good bye. Next she stood back a few feet as Matsuamrau, Ron and Shego did the same.

For those that had not participated in the Battle of Yamanouchi, nothing could have prepared them for what came next as thirteen spirits rose from the ground around the dais regaled in ancient Japanese battle armor. These, the original students of Toshimaru, the founder of this martial dynasty; bowed in reverence and then took position around the pyre and began to levitate slowly.

To the gasps and quiet murmurs of many the pyre was lifted above those gathered and then out over the cliff some distance away.

Matsumaru silently removed the bow from his back and presented it to Yori. She then received the ornate arrow from Rufus who gently flipped off her shoulder and stood to the side as she notched the arrow and drew it back.

Finally Ron and Shego pointed The Blade and The Bloom high towards each other creating a majestic X formation of mystical flames. Yori let loose her arrow flying through the fiery arch, igniting the tip as it sailed true to its target.

The floating pyre instantly combusted in a magnificent display of ethereal blaze and smoke. It took little time to consume itself entirely and as the smoke faded so did the spectral pallbearers. Rapidly their ghostly bodies became a mist that mingled with the rapidly disintegrating pyre. In a flash there was nothing but a slight fog and not a single portion fell to the valley below as Master Sensei's body followed his spirit…into legend.

**Sometime later in the Main Hall**

The celebration had proceeded splendidly. In keeping with her father's wishes they had a grand festival to commemorate his life rather than mourn his passing.

Unfortunately though, even at a funeral people have agendas.

Kim had been surprised to see Dr. Betty Director, the Leader of Global Justice amongst the guests. She finally cornered her and asked about it.

"Well I won't deny I had my issues with the old man. But I am not too proud to admit that I did study under him for some time. It certainly frustrated me when he told me that I had learned all that I would be able to from him. Regardless, I always respected his knowledge; even if I couldn't get him to help GJ."

Kim could tell she wasn't saying something and Blake had noticed her look and joined the conversation. The discussion had not gone unnoticed by Ron and Shego either, who were warily approaching the periphery within ear shot.

"I am sensing that you're holding something back, why else are you here Dr. Director?"

Seeing no use in prolonging matters she came clean, "Despite my personal feelings on the matter I have been asked by the international justice agencies to take Shego in to custody. And we need to speak with Ron about his recent 'solo' mission to recover her."

SHHNNNK!

Three large adamantium blades unfurled from a particular fist and were placed less than delicately on Betty's back.

"You may want to think twice about that, Doc. I don't think you'll be taking my friend anywhere."

With remarkable poise she calmly said without turning, "Logan. A long ways from the Mansion aren't you? OK, I can see that timing was not perfect here, perhaps you have an alternative plan to deal with her felony warrants in thirteen different countries?"

"Actually as a matter of fact I do. In fact I think I can clean up any legal issues that Ron has after his little jaunt through Hong Kong as well."

They all turned and looked at Blake as if he had grown a third eye ball.

Smiling a million dollar smile, he looked the head of GJ straight in the eyes and let his voice fall into a tone that let it be clear that this was NOT a suggestion,

"I have it in writing that I have ALL resources of the Federal Government at my disposal to build my new team. Seeing as how these two being in custody would mean they are now part of the federal justice system, I am now taking them into MY custody and offering them a position on my team."

Noting the concerned look from Ron and rather hostile look from Shego who had not been in on his plan he amended, "They will of course be free-lance agents working under my VERY loose guidance…"

Smiling, Betty liked where this was going but had to point out a snag, "And what pray tell are you going to do about all the international warrants?"

Surprisingly Bonnie jumped in at this point and spoke with an absolute tone of authority, "That will be of little consequence when the Rockwaller Industries legal teams get together with the State Department and explain the magnitude of Ms. Shego's contributions here."

With and audible swish, three blades retracted away from Dr. Director's back and a gravely voice stated evenly, "OK Betty now that the official crap is out of the way why don't we let these kids get back to the party and you let me take you for a spin around the dance floor? Been a while since you cut a rug I bet."

"Only because last time I danced with you it almost cost me my other eye." She answered cryptically and then added, "I am glad we could find a reasonable solution for this. Shego I hope you utilize this second chance appropriately."

Shego bristled at the statement but let it slide as she turned to Blake who was hugging his sister.

"Where in the hell do you get off drafting my green ass into the Army!?!"

"Easy, easy! I was going to talk to you two about this later, but the Director forced my hand. Part of the deal for the Bastards volunteering to jump into this fight blind was I can build a team of operatives to take the fight to the bad guys…"

Realizing his slip up he amended, "No disrespect intended, but you really can't go back to working for Drakken, and frankly villain gigs are going to be pretty slim pickings as the majority of them ended up dead the other night. Besides this can give you a range of opportunities…"

Choosing his words carefully he finished, "Listen I don't expect you to be a rank and file member of the team. I was just hoping that you and Ron wouldn't mind being on retainer so to speak; if we get into some crazy 'sitch' as Kim puts it. You two are both great scrappers and likely can get into a lot of places me and the boys couldn't. Besides the pay checks not bad either…"

Ron and Shego gave each other a meaningful glance and nodded. Ron answered for both of them, "We'll play along for now. I don't know what's in store for the two of us in the future, but I can tell you what is going to happen for the next few months or so."

"And what's that?" Blake asked with a grin, fairly certain he knew.

"Uncle Sam is going to pay for me and a certain green villainess to take a very nice vacation somewhere remote and tropical that serves drinks with little umbrellas."

Smiling broadly Blake clasped him on the shoulder as he looked meaningfully over at Kim, "Funny, I had something similar in mind myself."

As the group broke up Kim sauntered over to Blake and wrapped her arms around him, "So what exactly _did_ you have in mind Captain?"

Doing his best to retain an ounce of bearing as she pressed her curves suggestively into him he managed to say, "I was hoping to put the team on 30 days leave and kidnap you to some secluded beach. There I plan on trying to bribe "the girl who can do anything" into joining my team."

Feigning innocence she retorted, "Oh I don't think she would be bribed easily; what do you have to offer?"

Reaching around and embracing her tightly he muttered, "I'm sure we could work something out…"

As the night wore down the numerous dignitaries and guests politely said their good byes and departed.

Ron and Rufus had a heart to heart concerning the little mole rat's future here at the school and they both realized that this was the best way for them both to fulfill their personal destinies. As both a student and a teacher Rufus would utilize his portion of the Mystical Monkey Power to continue the teachings of Toshimuru.

Sitting out under the stars in what was left of the courtyard gardens they both reflected on how far they had come from munching Nacos in Middleton. The smaller one reflecting on the dark road his friend had traveled while the blonde one awed by the loyalty and ability to overcome adversity in his friend.

As they said good night, with Rufus off to catch an over due nap Yori approached Ron with Shego at her side.

Yori obviously had something on her mind yet spoke tentatively, "Ron-san I understand that you and Shego-san will be leaving soon. I understand this but I have a request."

"Anything Yori, what's up?" Ron said in his usual up beat tone.

"You have both proven yourselves as Champions of this school and its legacy. You have truly fulfilled the prophecy of The Blade and The Bloom. In my role now as Sensei it is my honor to act as a balance for your powers and to provide whatever you need to grow into your full potential."

Shego being well accustomed to reading between the lines hedged in, "I am hearing a definitive "but" in there somewhere."

Smiling demurely Yori responded, "Yes Shego-san I have a concern. My father based his extensive knowledge and capabilities on centuries of travel, study and learning. I feel as if I am how do you say, "behind the power curve" on this as I have traveled very little outside this school."

Realizing what she was getting at Shego looked at Ron and received a grin and a nod, "Tell ya what sister, after me and Ron get back from a little island hopping why don't we swing on up this way and pick you and Rufus up for a little world wind tour? See what trouble we can get into, eh?"

Hoping that she understood her correctly Yori surprised them both by reaching up and hugging Shego, "That would be wonderful. I look forward to whatever…"trouble" we can find on our travels. May I further ask your assistance in our first expedition? Alexandria has provided the details of the best place to take the entombed heart of Yono. It will not be an easy voyage but I feel that it would be a worthwhile journey of The Blade and The Bloom."

Silently she stepped back, bowed and disappeared back into the crowd of the main hall.

Falling into an amicable silence they both leaned into a warm embrace and simply enjoyed the silence and closeness.

After some time Ron leaned in and breathed on her sensitive neck as he said, "So what exactly did you mean when you told Yori we'd see what trouble we could get into?"

Her lips parting into a feral grin she turned and looked into his eyes, "Are you kidding? I just got a full pardon and a clean slate. I hope you're not looking for a good girl, cause honey you ain't seen nothing yet…"

-FIN-

**A/N:** Several of you have noted in reviews a lack of details in the final battle. I'll be honest I felt as if I was walking a tight rope between keeping the high energy tempo f the battle moving and plunging to far into minutia. That said I am hoping to revisit some key elements I only eluded to in the battle in future installments (i.e. Yono vs. Sensei, Shego vs. Gill, etc.)

While I definitely have aspirations to continue the storyline as a whole and perhaps do another epic style story like this; I think the immediate future will be served best by some one shots and smaller stories that will allow me to focus on individual character development. I like the idea of climbing into the heads of a few of the main and secondary characters and expanding on their views of the recent battle and perhaps what is in store for them all as a whole.

I'm very open to suggestions in where to take this saga. I'm happy with where the characters have developed to this point and I think there is a lot of room to grow. Now that you all know the score as to where The Bastards play into the KP world of tomorrow in this little corner of Fan Fiction; I am anxious to hear any ideas you have as to where their adventures should take them.

A few of you out there really played the Jedi to this Padawan in my development as a writer and I want to take the time to thank you again here: **Quis Custodiet, Morcelu, Beef Tony, eoraptor, aedan cameron, Charles Gray, Balrog60 & DarkSeraphic.** At some point each of you took the time to write a more introspective review that helped me see things in a new light or past a particular road block and for that I am very grateful.

I look forward to learning more from you all in the future!

One last note; I absolutely could not have completed this tale without the support and editorial skills of my wife, Mrs. Naked Mole Rat 68. If you liked Blake and the unique "feel" of many of this story's original characters more than half the kudos go to her! Thanks darlin'.


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